The Road From Nowhere
by SundayWinterChild
Summary: Boredom didn't suit Nicole well at all, but now that Project Purity was working and the Enclave had gone quiet, there wasn't much for her to do. When she received an offer from a rather shady former enemy, it was just too good to resist. Burke/FLW
1. Chapter 1

"Same as always, smoothskin?" Gob asked the woman who had just walked in the door. Although he already knew the answer, he asked her all the same.

Nicole gave Gob a wry smile and nodded as she bellied up to the bar, "You know me too well, Gob."

The ghoul slid a shot glass and a bottle of scotch over the rough surface of the bar and said in a hushed rumble, "No, you spend too much time in here, Nicky."

For just a moment Gob could see a glimpse of the girl that had wandered into Moriarty's saloon ages ago. Nicole's eyes blazed, her cheeks coloured up from indignant anger instead of booze and she scowled. Her tongue wet chapped lips, smoothing the way for some cutting comment, but it never came. Instead, that girl was shoved aside and replaced by the Nicole who looked drawn and haunted.

Nicole shoved double the caps at Gob and muttered, "Keep the change and don't tell Moriarty."

Gob ducked his head in appreciation, grabbed the caps and hurried off to the next customer. He was used to watching people drowning their sorrows, it came with the job, but something about watching Nicole do it was painful. Unfortunately it wasn't his place to tell her, or anyone else for that matter, what to do so he just let her get on with it.

Nicole watched Gob shuffle away, grabbed her glass and her bottle of poison and retreated to the same dark corner that she always sat in. She liked it here. The darkness hid her just enough so that she could watch who came in and out of the saloon without drawing attention to herself. It also was a good spot to eavesdrop from since it was relatively close to the bar.

She sat her glass and bottle on the wobbly round table that had seen much better days, but didn't sit down just yet. Either side of this table were two armchairs. No one would find it odd that she always sat in the chair on the left, not that anyone really cared or even noticed. It could, after all, just be chalked up to habit.

It wasn't just habit though.

Nicole chewed on her lip, barely noticing that her cracked lips had started bleeding. Idly, her tongue poked at the coppery tang and after fighting with herself for a few minutes, Nicole lowered herself into the armchair on the right for a change and poured herself a drink. The bottle of scotch clinked against the chipped rim of the shot glass because her hands were shaking and she uttered an oath when she spilled some of her comfort in a bottle. The stuff was overpriced as it was, God forbid she let the table enjoy more of it than she did.

Her frayed nerves cried out for the soothing amber liquid, urging her to down the shot, but Nicole hesitated and raised a silent toast to an invisible companion.

"_Happy anniversary,"_ she thought bitterly, threw the drink back and grimaced as the fiery nectar made its way to her stomach and spread its familiar warmth through her belly.

After three more shots in quick succession, Nicole started to feel numb so she leaned her head back against the chair and closed her eyes. All she wanted to do was forget where she was for a while and remember who she had been two years ago.

Nicole remembered happier times when she was still safe in Vault 101 with her father. It hadn't been perfect, but at least she didn't have to worry about Raiders, mercenaries trying to bag their quarry, and mutated creatures killing her in her sleep. The worst she ever faced down there had been Butch DeLoria and his pathetic gang, The Tunnel Snakes.

Then there was the Overseer and his overbearing rules. She had never been able to figure out why Alphonse Almodovar seemed to dislike her and her father so much, but all that became clear once she had escaped. "We're born in the Vault, we live in the Vault, and we die in the Vault," he had often said, but the truth of the matter was that neither she nor her father was born in Vault 101. They had, in fact, been reluctantly allowed in by Almodovar because the Vault was in need of a doctor. Nicole's father, James, fit the bill so he had been admitted along with his infant daughter. It often amazed her that it never had come to light long before her departure, but then again, there were many skeletons in the closet of Vault 101 that probably never would see the light of day.

In spite of the Overseer's attitude, Nicole had been close friends with his daughter, Amata. Nicole was a fairly social creature, or at least had been in the Vault. Even if she didn't have a huge circle of friends there, she relied on social interaction. Out here though, it was so different. She had learned the hard way that you were better off keeping yourself to yourself, even if it was painfully lonely sometimes.

Nicole sighed and cracked her eyes open enough so she could pour herself another drink and then went back to her solemn remembrances. In fact, she was so lost in her self-pity that she barely registered the door opening and the sound of footsteps approaching her.

"My dear girl, drinking on your own really isn't a habit you want to pick up."

Nicole snapped to attention when she heard the man speaking to her, but was unable to find her voice. Instead she stared at him with something that seemed to border on hatred.

The man chuckled and gave her a delighted smile, "May I join you?"

After opening and closing her mouth a couple of times she croaked, "Suit yourself, _Mister Burke_. You seem to be good at doing what you damn well please as it is."

Burke couldn't help but notice the pure venom with which she said his name, but he could hardly blame her.

"I believe you're in my seat, or do you remember?" Amusement crinkled the corners of his eyes, not that Nicole could see it. Two years later and he still wore the same hat and tortoise shell sunglasses, effectively hiding anything that might give him away.

"I didn't see your name on it," she sniped and poured another shot. "I'd offer you a drink, but I'm sure you wouldn't care for the swill us Wasteland knuckle-draggers have to make do with."

Again the corner of Burke's mouth curled slightly. In two years she had changed quite a bit. The day she had come into Moriarty's, the fear she felt was palpable and came off her in waves. Add to that the desperation and innocent way in which she dealt with the patrons and Burke had become rather enchanted by her. It would have been easy to take her, wind her around his little finger and have her do his bidding, but it would have been far too easy. Burke liked a challenge.

Now, here they both were, two years to the day and it was such a different story. She'd grown more aware and wary of her surroundings and those who were nearby. He'd noticed her hand flitting to the grip of the silenced 10mm gun on her hip more than once. Her blue eyes didn't sparkle as they had that day with wonder and amazement. Instead they held a hard glint that searched out a person's face to judge their true intent. It made Burke thankful that he was a master of the bald-faced lie.

The same sweet teenage girl that had crawled out of Vault 101 two years ago had turned into a recalcitrant and cynical woman. It was rather disappointing that the Wasteland had moulded her and not him, but then again, it opened so many new possibilities.

"You know that they say sarcasm is a higher form of humour," Burke said and sat down and produced a battered silver flask from inside his jacket, as if to confirm her accusation.

Nicole snorted, shook her head at the sight of it and snarled, "You're such a pompous arse."

"My dear, I merely want to enjoy a drink or two in your company. If you're going to hurl abuse at me I shall leave. I had hoped that we might celebrate today's momentous occasion together."

A crafty smile spread over his lips and made a shiver run down Nicole's spine, but she bit her tongue and asked with a guarded tone, "Whatever would we have to celebrate?"

Burke picked up on it instantly and said, "Oh, I believe you know," he waved a hand dismissively and then unscrewed the cap of his flask before raising it towards her. "Here's a toast to the Lone Wanderer's second anniversary in the Wasteland! Fortune was truly smiling on me the day you stumbled in here."

Nicole's hand gripped her glass tightly and she glared at Burke.

"It is customary for you to charge your glass as well, my dear," he jokingly prompted before taking a swig of the extremely rare malt whiskey that he kept for special occasions. "It's also impolite to stare. Surely your father taught you that?"

The barb stung Nicole deeply and she took in a shuddering breath, "That was low, even for you."

Burke feigned innocence, "My dear, whatever do you mean?"

"Don't pretend that you don't know. Three Dog shouted about it long enough that even the feral ghouls were starting to give me their condolences before trying to rip me apart!" Nicole struggled to get her breath; it felt as if an iron band was tightening around her chest.

"Ah, yes, that." Burke looked thoughtful for a moment before musing, "That fool doesn't know when to shut up at the best of times." He sipped from his flask and added as an afterthought, "My commiseration for your loss, by the way. Better late than never, I suppose."

Nicole rolled her eyes and started to pour herself another drink, "So sincere. As always."

Burke scowled and grabbed her hand gently to stop her before saying quietly, "My dear, I am nothing but sincere. You of all people should know that."

Nicole's eyes were fixed on Burke's hand and felt the primal urge to fight or flee rising in her. It had become an instinct she had learned to trust, as well.

"Let go of my hand, now," she said firmly.

"That rubbish will kill you," he nodded to the bottle of scotch on the table. "Considering everything you've been through it would be rather disappointing for you to go out in such a mundane way." Burke's thumb stroked the back of her hand and much to his delight he heard her breath catch slightly.

Nicole jerked her hand away as if it had been burned.

"All I've been through?" Her voice wavered, "You don't know the half of it, so don't pretend that you do!"

Burke leaned back and studied her face. For one unguarded moment, every worry, stress, and tragedy she'd been through was etched on her face. It made her seem far older than her 21 years. The Wasteland had chewed her up and spit her out, but she still was here, wiser for it all. Initially, Burke had predicted that she would only last a week but she had far surpassed any expectations of his.

He found it intriguing.

Leaning close, he spoke softly to her, "I know that your father sacrificed himself to save his life's work, and by that, I don't mean you. You were taken prisoner by the Enclave and interrogated. I know that you very nearly died of radiation poisoning when the Brotherhood of Steel reclaimed Project Purity and you selflessly volunteered to enter the irradiated control room to finish what your father had started. I've heard that Elder Lyons made you an honorary knight but the others still look down on you. You've been banned from returning to Vault 101, in spite of helping them with their little factional crisis in a peaceful manner. The only friend you had out in this world, your dog, was killed as he tried to protect you during a fire fight with Talon Company. By and large you are utterly alone. Night after night you return to your little shack, although I dare say that you occasionally entertain a visitor. I'm sure Mr. Stahl is more than happy to accommodate you, isn't he? Of course you have your trusty bottles of scotch, but in all truth, they don't make great companions, do they? However you've found that if you drink enough you can sleep the sleep of the dead."

Nicole tried to look into eyes that were hidden behind tinted lenses to see if he was being sympathetic or trying to tear down her defences, but he betrayed nothing to her. Burke knew far more than she felt comfortable with, so to throw him off the scent she tried to be nonchalant.

"So? I prefer to work on my own anyhow," she shrugged.

"Do you? I also heard about the Brotherhood initiate that you had a brief flirtation with. Apparently you were inseparable." He leaned back and laced his fingers together, "What happened to him again?"

Nicole stared at the floor and whispered, "He was killed during a mission."

"Have you ever noticed how anyone who gets even remotely close to you ends up dead?" Burke said far more cheerfully than she cared to hear.

She remained silent for some time, trying to gather her thoughts. Of course she had noticed that a lot of people ended up dead around her, but she did everything she could to try and ignore that. Whether she did it by drinking herself into a stupor or the occasional roll in the sack with Leo Stahl, it didn't matter. As long as the ghosts stayed away, she was alright.

Burke's steady gaze made her feel more exposed than being out in the open Wasteland with nowhere to hide and she stiffened. It wasn't just the way he was looking at her; it was the way he was talking to her. As soon as she put up a barrier, he tore it down with his well chosen words.

"So you've kept close tabs on me. How... obsessive of you. Surely you had better things to do with your time than that? Oh, but I forgot! You had time to send Talon hitmen after me! Do you know that I had to put up with those morons for over a year? Of course you know. How many times I found a contract on their mangled corpses signed by you, I can't even remember!"

Burke gave her a self-satisfied grin, "But my dear, you had been warned that disobeying my orders would be dealt with severely. I am a man of my word and you left me no other option. It really didn't matter though, did it? You managed to outwit them time and time again. I finally gave up and decided that you were far more amusing alive than dead. How right I was! Besides, I was sick of wasting the caps on petty revenge."

"You're a twisted man, Burke," Nicole snorted.

"I've been called far worse," he laughed, but then turned serious. "I didn't lie to you though. I had every intention of bringing you to live at Tenpenny Tower." Burke scowled, "That idiot Tenpenny wouldn't be budged on the matter."

"I'm surprised you even bothered to get his permission anyhow. Let's face it though; I'm not really Tenpenny Tower material, am I?" Nicole sighed and slumped in her chair before muttering, "I got my hopes up though, no thanks to you and your damned letters."

She could feel herself colouring up and hoped that he would put it down to the drink.

Burke watched her out of the corner of his eye as he lit a cigarette. She was flushed, and it wasn't from drinking. He'd seen it plenty of times, but for some reason he found it all the more endearing when it was her.

A wicked smirk played on his lips, "My dear girl, you're blushing."

"Bugger off Burke! It's the drink and you know it," Nicole turned her head away and struggled to get control of her breathing. It didn't help that her heart was trying to run away from her.

"The drink, of course, how foolish of me to think that it might be..." he trailed off, leaving the unspoken sentiment hanging in the air.

Nicole's eyes flicked to him and she laughed nervously.

Burke took a drag of his cigarette, looked over the top rim of his glasses at her and enjoyed her obvious discomfort. He let out a long, slow breath, the smoke curling from his nose and dissipating around him.

Tilting his head, he said, "I must ask you one question though. In spite of the warning I gave you, you still disarmed the bomb. You were desperate for the caps. Carrying out the job would have made you quite wealthy and would have earned you a penthouse suite in Tenpenny Tower. "

Nicole sat up and mirrored Burke's head tilt, "It's easy enough to figure out, really. I broke one of the rules of the Wasteland."

Burke's eyebrow twitched, "You got too close."

She nodded but refused to look at Burke, "Yes. That's the thing about being out here. You need some emotional detachment or else you're going to go crazy. I stayed here too long, got caught up in their daily struggle for survival and helped them. In the end, I couldn't bring myself to do it." Her eyes took on a distant look and she whispered, "There I was with the fusion pulse charge in my hands and I couldn't do it."

Burke leaned forward and stared at her intensely, "You don't do well on your own."

"I do fine on my own, thank you very much," Nicole tried to build the walls up again and shut him out.

"Well, you can believe that if you like, but I can see otherwise," he said as he stubbed out the cigarette.

"And I suppose you think you're the expert?"

"I pride myself on being able to read people, my dear."

Nicole raised an eyebrow and gave him a mirthless smile, "You read me wrong that day then."

Burke slid his glasses to the very end of his nose and allowed her blue eyes to properly meet his brown ones for the first time ever. Nicole was surprised, but didn't let it show.

"Of course not, my dear girl," Burke said in a mildly bored sneer. "I honestly didn't think you were up to the job, but you fascinated me and for once, I gave someone the benefit of the doubt. You should be grateful."

Nicole's eye twitched. She'd gotten by on her own for two long years with nothing more than her own resourcefulness. If anything, the man sitting beside her had been a thorn in her side for most of that time by sending the Talons after her. Now he had the audacity to tell her that she should be so thankful that he'd deigned to give her a chance!

Through gritted teeth she growled, "I'm so glad that you've found my pain and suffering a source of entertainment. Tell me, Burke, did you come here just to rub salt in the wounds? If that's the case I'm going home now."

Burke tucked his flask away. So the crux of the matter had finally arrived.

"Very well. Tell me, what have you been doing since the furore with the Enclave?"

"I help the Brotherhood clear out the Super Mutants, Raiders and Talons from the DC ruins. Occasionally I do a bit of bounty hunting for the Regulators."

"As I thought. Your talents, my dear, are being wasted. Since everything has died down you've become nothing more than a glorified exterminator in power armour."

Nicole's hand reached for her gun and she said in a husky voice, "And if you aren't careful Burke, this glorified exterminator might mistake you for a Radroach."

Burke smoothly reached for his own weapon and calmly said, "I wouldn't do that if I were you. Now, you can choose to lose your temper and the Wasteland will be down one holier-than-thou do-gooder or you can be a good girl and listen to my little proposition."

Nicole weighed Burke up. Would he be willing to pull a gun on her in the middle of a crowded bar and kill her in cold blood? She decided that he would be happy to do just that and most likely enjoy every second of it, gloating over her as she lived her last moments gasping for breath.

After deliberating, she hissed, "Go on, I'm listening."

"Excellent," he purred and lightly curled his hand around the grip of his gun. She needed to remember that he wasn't someone to mess with. "I will pay you the compliment of being blunt. You're no fool; well, at least you're less of one than most of the Wasteland rabble. Because of this I don't believe you'll have any trouble keeping up with what I am telling you." Burke leaned forward and lowered his voice even further, "You're familiar with the Garden of Eden Creation Kit or G.E.C.K. for short?"

Nicole froze for a moment before pouring herself another drink and slowly answering, "You damn well know I'm familiar with it."

Out of all the horrors that Nicole had encountered since leaving Vault 101, her journey into Vault 87 to retrieve the G.E.C.K. still plagued her nightmares. Even in waking moments if she thought about it too much she could smell the stench of death, decay and blood that hung heavy in the stagnant air of Vault 87.

Around every corner were the scattered remains of the Super Mutant's victims or gore bags hung from the ceiling, dripping the foul by products of decomposition and blood into slick puddles on the floor, but that was nothing compared to the sight of the failed mutations.

The twisted bodies were neither Super Mutant nor human, but held characteristics of both. Muscles bulged, there were obvious changes to the skeletal structure, primary and secondary sex traits were either diminished or absent. What haunted Nicole the most, though, were the expressions on the faces of these victims. The sheer agony of the transformation when it worked properly was enough to drive "normal" Super Mutants insane. For those that the FEV had failed, death must have been a sweet release because their faces were frozen with terrified expressions, almost as if they had died mid-scream.

Nicole shuddered and quickly drank the shot before giving Burke a withering look and sneering, "Thanks for the memories, Burke."

Burke waved the sarcastic comment away and continued, "I need a G.E.C.K. but in order to find one, I need to locate a vault that had one issued."

"Why would you want a G.E.C.K.?" Nicole asked with more than a hint of suspicion in her voice.

"I have my reasons," he answered cryptically.

"Good luck finding one. Apparently only a handful of them were ever given out. Then there's the fact that the locations of most Vaults have been lost to time."

Burke gave her a predatory grin, "That, my dear, is what makes you my new best friend."

"How? I don't have access to any of that information. I never even knew about any of the other Vaults until I stumbled across them or were informed of their existence. I don't see how I'm going to be of any use to you," Nicole said and relaxed slightly, hoping this would put an end to the matter.

Burke, however, was undeterred and nodded towards her left arm, "Will you permit me?"

Although wary, Nicole held out her arm and instantly felt annoyed when Burke lightly took her hand. She sniped at him, "If this is a lousy excuse to cop a feel..."

"Hush," he snapped, "it's no such thing. Besides, why would I resort to such a pathetic charade? If I want something enough, I take it. This is beside the point."

All his attention was soon focussed on her Pip-Boy and he inspected it with gentle fingers, turning her arm slightly to look at the lock and frowned. "Damnable things and their biometric locks... I'll never know why Vault-Tec insisted on such a feature. Although, knowing them, the Pip-Boy was probably designed to monitor the wearer and send telemetry to one of their top secret Vaults. If it were easily removed they would have gaps in their data." Burke tapped against the locking mechanism, scowled and then tried to run a finger under the edge of the Pip-Boy and airily commented, "Of course, there are other methods of removing them."

Nicole jerked her arm away in horror, "You won't be removing it one way or the other! I saw what the Outcasts did to remove a Pip-Boy from one of those clones from Vault 108 and you're not about to do the same to me!" She cradled her Pip-Boy protectively against her chest and glowered at Burke.

Rich, cruel laughter rumbled from Burke at Nicole's naivety, "My dear girl, how have you managed to survive while being so gullible?"

"I am not gullible, I just don't trust you," she pouted.

Burke nodded, "Be that as it may, I do need your help. Your Pip-Boy should be able to interface properly with any Vault-Tec terminals and possibly their mainframe."

"Why don't you just hack them? Surely even you could figure that out?" Nicole needled, trying to get under his skin as much as he had hers.

Burke ignored the dig and said, "Hacking only gets so far before it corrupts the data. Remember, some of this technology is over 200 years old and hasn't had much, if any, maintenance in all that time."

Nicole rubbed her forehead and tried to ward off the headache that was brewing. She watched as Burke sat back in his seat, folded his hands in his lap and awaited her decision. The air of arrogance and self-confidence that came from him was almost unbearable.

"I have a few questions before I agree to anything," she said and narrowed her eyes. "I need to know why you want a G.E.C.K. Surely you can understand my reluctance to try and find another one after my previous experience?"

"Of course I can." Burke pursed his lips for a moment in thoughtful contemplation, making Nicole wonder if he was trying to find a suitable lie. "In all honesty I am rather tired of how bleak this arid, dead landscape looks outside my window."

Nicole snorted and picked at a hangnail, "Why am I not surprised that your reasons all centre on you and not your fellow man?"

"On the contrary, once it's done I will allow a select few to join me in my lush haven." Burke smirked at her, "You, of course, would be at the top of the list."

Nicole felt her cheeks growing warm again, even though she wanted to hate him for what he was suggesting. She mumbled, "You're a pig, Burke."

Burke let out a raspy chuckle, "Ah, perhaps, but I'm a pig you like, whether you want to admit it or not."

"No," Nicole shook her head defiantly, "I pretty much hate you and what you stand for. So no doubt your Tenpenny cronies will be joining you there?"

It was Burke's turn to shake his head emphatically, "God no! They're shallow, empty headed and bore me to death. That's why I shall be more selective about who joins me in paradise."

Nicole grinned broadly, "Considering your high standards, you'll be all by yourself, then." Burke merely frowned at her and then she added, "You are aware that the G.E.C.K. is thought to be highly unstable and unpredictable, that's even if it works at all?"

"Yes, but that's for me to worry about and not you." Burke stood and approached her, "Will you join me?"

Nicole chewed on her bottom lip thoughtfully. Burke was probably one of the vilest characters in the Capitol Wasteland. He was underhanded, conniving and couldn't be trusted any further than he could be thrown. Although many would disagree with her assessment that Burke was more dangerous than a pack of feral ghouls, he was. Burke's brand of evil was insidious. It would hit you when you least expected it and catch you off guard. Besides all that, he would be more than happy to use her to get what he wanted and then casually toss her aside.

She was, however, incredibly bored these days. After Project Purity started working and providing clean and safe drinking water to the Wasteland, she was a celebrity, everyone's blue eyed girl, but now, two years on, everyone seemed to have forgotten her. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing, though; it meant that bounty hunters weren't as keen to track her down, but there was a gaping hole in her life now that she had no quest or mission or goal to fulfil and no amount of drinking, screwing or bounty hunting seemed to fill that emptiness. Nicole desired action and excitement and gathering dust in Megaton was certainly not sitting well with her, but she didn't want to seem over eager to Burke.

Nicole stood and put her hands on her hips, "I need time to think about it."

Burke nearly broke into a triumphant grin. It was as good as a yes, but he stopped his premature celebrations and nodded, "Very well, my dear girl." He tipped her chin up with a finger, "But don't take too long. I'd hate to have to send Talon hitmen after you again to put a bullet in your pretty little head."

Nicole jerked her chin away and growled, "Two weeks. Give me two weeks and I'll give you an answer."

Burke smiled, satisfied with her answer, and said, "Well, I can't say fairer than that, can I? Very well, Nicole, I will be awaiting your decision at Tenpenny Tower. I believe you know the way?"

"Don't be ridiculous, of course I do," she huffed.

"Excellent. I shall eagerly anticipate our next meeting then," Burke said before giving her one last smirk, tipping his hat to her and then disappearing out into the balmy summer night.

Nicole watched as he left and when the door of the saloon finally closed, she realized she'd been holding her breath and let it out in a rush.

Burke unnerved her, set her on edge and turned her on her head, and although she knew logically that she should hate him for everything, there was a small part of her that just couldn't hate him. Shaking her head and chastising herself for how foolish she was being, Nicole bid Gob goodnight, stepped out of Moriarty's and took a deep breath to try and clear her head. A quick check of her Pip-Boy told her that it was nearly midnight and so she wound her way through Megaton's rusty walkways to her home that was high above most of the others, thinking over what Burke had told her. A flutter of excitement in her chest made her smile more than she had done in some time.

Nicole was so lost in her own thoughts that she never noticed someone in the shadows as she unlocked her house.

"Nicky? Where the hell have you been?"

She jumped and whirled to see Leo Stahl skulking in the darkness and shouted, "Leo! Why are you hiding there?"

"I'm not hiding. You've been in Moriarty's again? You could come into The Brass Lantern every now and then, you know?" Leo said with a hint of indignation.

Nicole sighed, not really wanting to deal with Leo right now, but she knew there wasn't much choice. Her shoulders slumped as she finished unlocking the door of her house and motioned with a nod of her head, "Come inside."

Leo smiled broadly and followed Nicole inside, his eyes darting around the room, taking everything in, even though he'd seen it all before.

"You want a drink?" Nicole asked as she headed up the stairs to the Nuka-Cola machine.

"Yeah," was the only word Leo could manage since he was too busy watching Nicole's backside as she climbed the stairs.

She took the ice cold drinks from the pristine vending machine that she'd bought from Moira Brown's Craterside Supply and ran one over her brow and then down her neck. The night was hot and humid and the chilled glass did little to relieve her discomfort.

"Here," she offered the other bottle to Leo as she reached the bottom step but then paused. Leo was nervously roaming through the downstairs and repeatedly touching the Vault-Tec bobbleheads that Nicole had collected on her travels through the wastes.

"Oh, thanks!" he said cheerily and reached for the bottle, but Nicole held it just out of his reach.

"Leo, look at me," she said sternly, as if talking to a child. After a few moments, he finally did look her in the eyes and Nicole sighed, "Leo... Why?"

For most of her time in Megaton, she'd been trying to help Leo overcome his Jet addiction. He would do fine for a while, but then he'd revert to old habits. It was frustrating. Leo could be an incredibly sweet man, but the Jet changed him for the worst.

The irony of the situation wasn't lost on Nicole though. One step away from becoming an alcoholic herself, she probably wasn't the ideal person to try and help keep a junkie on the straight and narrow.

Leo nervously laughed and shrugged, "Just... couldn't ignore it anymore. I had to have it, Nicky."

"Leo, what am I going to do with you?" she asked, her brow furrowing with aggravation. "Take your drink."

Leo took it and drank half of it in one go and then gave Nicole a cheeky grin, "I've got a few ideas of what you could do with me."

Nicole shook her head and huffed as she stomped upstairs to have a quick wash in the sink she had installed a few months ago, cursing Leo under her breath the whole time. After everything she'd done for him, this was how he repaid her. She bitterly thought that it would serve him right if he ended up killing himself with the stuff.

She stripped off her clothes and tossed them into a corner and proceeded to wash herself. It was times like this that she missed Vault 101 and the convenience of a proper shower. Nicole had always been a neat and tidy person and being unable to get fully clean was something that she abhorred. As she furiously lathered her face with a bar of soap she'd scavenged from a long abandoned Super-Duper Mart, she felt rough hands slide over her stomach, one finger lightly circling her bellybutton.

"C'mon Nicky, don't be angry with me, please?" Leo pleaded in her ear before gently nibbling her earlobe.

"Stop that!" she snapped, smacked his wandering hands and rinsed off her face. "I'm not in the mood and I'm angry with you because you deserve it!"

"Nicky..." he brushed his lips over her shoulder and sent a chill through her.

Finally she turned to face him, "Do you even realize why I'm mad at you or has the Jet fried your brain?"

Leo looked at her with puppy dog eyes, "Yeah, I know why. I'm sorry."

"Damn it Leo, you say it every time," Nicole half-heartedly pounded a fist against his chest.

"I mean it this time though, no more, ok?" Leo crossed his heart and held up three fingers in a scout's salute.

"I wish I could trust you," Nicole sighed and ran a hand over his cheek.

Leo smiled and pulled her against him and leaned down so his lips were just touching hers, "Then trust me."

Nicole hesitantly kissed him and wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling a pang of sadness pierce her heart.

"Come on," she said, took his hand and pulled him towards the stairs, "let's go to bed."

Leo, more than thrilled that his luck had come in, obediently followed Nicole downstairs.

Nicole, however, grimly thought, _"Enjoy it while it lasts, Leo. Tonight's your last night with me."_


	2. Chapter 2

_Nicole crouched down in a darkened corner where she felt certain that no one, or thing, to be more accurate, could sneak up on her and tried to ignore the fresh wave of nausea that was threatening to make her wretch again. The air of Vault 87 was so thick with dust and the foul stench of death and putrescence that it left a bitter, oily taste in the back of her throat with each little sip of air she took in._

Desperate to keep an edge, Nicole's shaking hands fumbled with one of the pockets of her trousers, took out an inhaler of Jet and she breathed it in. Her heart, although it was already pounding in her ears, sped up even more. Quickly she searched a different pocket and wrapped her fingers around another good friend of hers: Psycho. 

_The needle found its mark and delivered its potent combination of speed and heroin. She knew what she was doing was dangerous and that if it didn't kill her, it brought her one step closer to addiction, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Besides, death by overdose sounded rather pleasant when compared with death by Super Mutant._

Once the drugs had fully entered her system her head cleared, her shaking had stopped and the fear that had been threatening to overtake her and render her useless had dissipated.

All around her, Nicole could hear the distant, guttural ranting of the Super Mutants, all of them now alerted to her presence and looking for her. Reloading her laser rifle as silently as she could, she had to stifle a groan when she saw that she was down to her last micro fusion cell, which meant that she only had 24 shots to deal with any Super Mutants. Considering that she had run into Masters, Brutes and Overlords, she didn't feel terribly optimistic about her chances. Even when stealth was in her favour it took at least 6 or 7 shots to take out an Overlord, and that was when her weapon was in excellent condition. Needless to say, her rifle was not doing as much damage as she would like because since entering Vault 87 it had taken a beating.

The terrible realization that her only chance might be to try and scrounge some ammo from a gore bag made her shudder, but Nicole didn't care to become the Super Mutants' plaything. She took a deep breath and slinked along the corridor, pausing every now and then to listen for any potential enemies nearby.

She worked through Vault 87 methodically, checking room after room for anything she might be able to use as weaponry but came up empty handed. A feeling of panic bloomed in her chest making her abandon her usual cautiousness and run headlong through the halls. It struck her as odd that although she could hear the Super Mutants nearby, she hadn't found anymore, but her need for more ammo had given her tunnel vision and she ignored the threat that they presented.

Running at a breakneck speed, Nicole skidded around a corner into another corridor and came to an abrupt stop. At the end of the passageway was a room, but unlike the rest of the rooms in Vault 87, this room was brightly lit. Its jarring contrast should have sent up alarm bells in her head, but it didn't and she damned the possible dangers. Nicole dashed into the room and let out a squeal as her feet slipped in a puddle of blood and mire, sending her sprawling on the floor. The grip she had on her rifle loosened and it skittered into far corner of the room.

Nicole scrambled to her feet and clung to a nearby table as she heaved violently from the overwhelming smell and disgust she felt. After the nausea subsided enough, she could look and see that there were five gore bags scattered around the room. A twisted feeling of joy and hope welled up inside her but her celebrations were cut short when the panic that she felt earlier took over again. Carefully she made her way to the nearest gore bag while holding onto tables, chairs and anything that would help her stay upright while her feet continued to slip on the metal floor.

In the harsh overhead lights, the gore bag and its grisly contents glistened and dripped blood. Nicole, nor anyone she knew, had ever been able to decipher why the Super Mutants made the damned things. Whether they were meant to mark territory, serve as warnings or they were a sort of trophy, it remained a mystery. Whatever the case, Nicole had found that they could yield surprises because the Super Mutants obviously didn't strip their victims of their belongings before stuffing their remains inside.

Like a child at some demented birthday party, Nicole started opening the gore bag to gain access to its contents. It wasn't a pleasant job, but she had no choice. She worked with the slippery netting and managed to make an opening that was big enough for her to reach in and search through the mangled body parts contained within.

At first, Nicole's efforts didn't seem to be producing the results she wanted and just as she was about to give up and move onto the next bag, her fingers felt the rough casing of a grenade. A broad smile spread over her face as she carefully extracted it and set it aside.

With renewed hope, Nicole's hand plunged back into quagmire and worked through bits of sharp bone, sinew and entrails, searching for what she so desperately needed. She kept fishing around until her hand fell on something metallic, but a precursory tactile exam gave her no clue as to what it might be.

Wiggling the newfound object, Nicole gradually pulled it out of the bag and felt a cold chill run down her spine when she saw what it was.

It was a Pip-Boy.

The eerie green glow of its screen was dimmed from the layer of slime and filth that it covered it and with shaking fingers, she cleared it as best she could, leaving smeary tracks behind. Nicole hesitated before punching the button marked "DATA" and debated if she really wanted to know who the Pip-Boy had belonged to.

Curiosity, however, is a cruel mistress.

As Nicole read through the notes contained on the Pip-Boy, she started to shake and her fears were confirmed. The Pip-Boy had been her father's.

"Daddy?" she squeaked in a child-like voice and looked at the gore bag, finally seeing the shredded remnants of a Vault 101 jumpsuit and lab coat interspersed between the limbs and organs.

Horror was giving way to disbelief, though. Something about the situation wasn't right and suddenly she remembered that her father hadn't died at the hands of Super Mutants. Her father had died from the radiation he'd flooded the control room of Project Purity with so that the Enclave couldn't take over.

"My dear girl," a familiar and loathed voice purred from behind her, "haven't you learned that we all die eventually? Some of us just happen to get there sooner than others."

Nicole tore her eyes away from the gruesome sight before her and turned to confront Burke, but instead she came face to face with a Super Mutant Overlord.

Nicole gasped and frantically reached for her laser rifle only to remember that she had lost it when she fell earlier.

The Overlord let out a triumphant and feral cry before raising its Super Sledge and swinging it for her head.

Nicole clawed herself from her nightmare world to wakefulness in time to hear a scream die in her throat. The sheen of terror induced sweat was on her brow and her heart continued to pound. She lay still for some time, forcing herself to take slow, deep breaths and as she did, she quietly recited what had become a mantra for her over and over.

"It was only a dream and I'm safe. There's nothing here to hurt me."

"Wazzat?" Leo mumbled incoherently and looked at Nicole with bleary eyes.

"Nothing. Bad dream. Go back to sleep," she said softly. Leo grunted, rolled over and resumed snoring loudly.

Nicole sighed and wished that Leo had pushed her to say what was wrong, but she'd long accepted that things were the way they were. Leo was a self-centred person, although this was no doubt the result of having responsibility thrust upon him at a very young age. It wasn't his fault and there was no doubt that he had considered her a friend, it was just that Leo could be blind to what others felt, especially when he was going through one of his rough patches. In spite of his issues and the problems that they presented, Nicole had remained his friend.

Sadly, though, the line of friendship had become rather blurry about six months ago. Until that night, Nicole had often avoided Moriarty's. It might have been the warning that Moriarty pissed in his still, or the fact that most of his customers were swarthier than in the Brass Lantern, or that she didn't want to be reminded of a certain someone, or that she just plain didn't like Moriarty and his slimy ways. Whatever her reasons, she found herself in the Brass Lantern night after night and spending more on drinking.

Leo had always been friendly towards her, often joking and teasing her with a wink and a smile but as time had passed, they had got to know each other more and become good friends. Their friendship had been something that divided Leo's siblings, Jenny and Andy. Jenny approved of it, hoping that Nicole's influence might help Leo sort his life out. Andy, ever the pessimist, doubted that anyone could change Leo for the better.

One winter's night, after the last patrons had gone, Leo insisted that she stay later and kept him company while he cleaned up. As the harsh wind whipped and whistled outside, Nicole decided that staying a few moments longer where it was warm was preferable to stumbling around in the cold and dark, so she agreed.

Andy, however, was not pleased with the arrangement and complained loudly that Leo and Nicole would end up drinking any profits that had been made that evening. An argument between the two brothers broke out but thankfully Jenny had intervened. Nicole was sure she overheard Jenny say to Andy as they went upstairs that "she might be good for him".

Once Leo had finished tidying up, they sat at the bar drinking beers that had been kept outside in the cold. Over the icy lagers, they shared with each other how they both had lost their parents. Leo's had been killed in a Raider attack leaving him to raise his brother and sister to the best of his ability. It had put a lot of pressure on him and he openly admitted that he hadn't coped well with it.

As the evening dragged on, they had moved on from beer to vodka and with the worst of their problems now thoroughly soaked in alcohol, their moods became more jovial. Leo told her of some of The Brass Lantern's more colourful customers and Nicole told him tales of her journeys through the Wasteland.

They laughed over the silliest things and the laughing, above all else, had been her downfall. Nicole couldn't remember the last time she had truly laughed and it felt so good, pure and almost holy. Before she knew what had happened, they were kissing. Huddling together, they braved the winter wind and went to Nicole's house for the rest of the night.

Since then it was almost an unspoken agreement between them that sex was just a fringe benefit of their friendship. It took their minds off their problems, if only temporarily. Nicole would never admit it, but it was nice to have Leo near at night and sometimes it helped to ward off the demons. Just to be able to nestle against him or reach out and touch him often helped to ground her after some of her more vivid nightmares. Sadly Leo often misinterpreted her sudden touches and cuddling for something else, but Nicole never told him that.

The first faint rays of daylight were starting to seep through the chinks in her tumbledown house and filtered through the dusty air. Nicole tried to get back to sleep, but it eluded her so she started making lists of what she would need for a journey to Tenpenny Tower and take on Burke's job.

She definitely would take her suit of Tesla Armour that she had pilfered from some luckless Enclave soldier who had the misfortune of being at the end of her gunfire. Some of her more exotic weaponry such as the Fat Man, Tesla Cannon and Gauss Rifle would definitely be coming along with her. Smaller handguns would be left apart from a scoped .44 magnum. Nicole had discovered that the smaller guns such as the 10mm and .32 were fairly common and could be scavenged or bought for a bit of nothing, so it wasn't much of a loss to leave them.

Apart from some meagre food rations and water, the only other thing she could think that she might need was medical supplies. She never left Megaton without at least a few Stimpacks, but considering the length of her journey she would include some Rad-X, RadAway and Mentats. She had given up on using Jet, Psycho and Buffout some time ago after she found herself becoming more and more reliant on the substances.

That, of course, was the practical side of things. She'd not told Leo that she was leaving yet and she worried what his reaction might be.

"Leo?" she whispered but got no reply. Again she spoke his name, louder than before, "Leo?"

Leo snorted in his sleep and tugged most of the threadbare sheets over to his side of the bed.

"Bastard," Nicole grumbled.

After tossing and turning for a while longer, Nicole accepted that between Leo's snoring and her list-making, she would most likely not sleep anymore. Moving slowly, she slipped from the bed and went upstairs to get dressed then quietly ventured out of her house. The door made a soft snick as the latch caught, but she doubted that Leo even noticed she'd left.

Nicole surveyed Megaton from the high platform that her house had been built on, rolled her shoulders and stretched. Nearly every joint in her body creaked and cracked like those of some rheumatic elderly woman. The past two years had taken quite a toll on her body and nearly every morning seemed to bring a new problem or complaint, but most of the time she kept quiet because she didn't want to bother Doc Church with her trifling issues.

Besides, what didn't kill her made her stronger, or so she told herself. The Brotherhood medics, though, had painted a farm more grim picture for her. They had told her that the intense dose of radiation she'd received while starting the water purifier would have some drastic effects. Fatigue and anaemia would be more immediate, but in the long run the possibility of contracting multiple types of cancer and sterility were to be her reward for what she had done.

When one of Nicole's darker moods struck, she resented the choice she had made and wished she had sent Sarah Lyons in instead.

Or that she had never woken up at all.

Once she had worked most of her kinks out (her left shoulder hadn't been the same since some Raider bitch hit her with a pipe a year ago), Nicole drank in the stillness of the early morning and enjoyed the fact that, apart from Megaton's guard, Stockholm, she was the only one up at the moment. The only things Nicole could hear were the wind rushing by and the mournful lowing of the Brahmin outside Doc Church's clinic.

Nicole was convinced that this was the best time of the day. The sun on the horizon held a fragile promise of a new day, of a fresh start. In that fleeting moment, everyone could be reborn into something they had never been before; they could overcome obstacles that had held them back for so long. She sighed, sad that it never lasted long. Reality had a nasty habit of intruding and bursting any semblance of hope.

Winding her way through the town, she thought about all the people she knew here and felt a pang of sadness over the thought that she was going to leave them behind. Megaton was nowhere near perfect, but it had become her home, a refuge from the Wastes and all the dangers that lay in wait for those who were careless or suicidal. As she went, she took in the familiar sights and sounds and committed them all to memory so she would have something to keep her company on the long road ahead.

As she rounded a corner she ran into the only other person who would be up at such an early hour and greeted him.

"Good morning, Lucas."

Lucas Simms tipped his dusty hat to her. "Morning. So, tell me Nicole, are you up late or up early?" His eyes twinkled knowingly. He'd dragged an intoxicated Nicole back to her house more times than he cared to remember, but he also knew that she suffered from insomnia.

Nicole fell in step beside him and shrugged, "A bit of both."

Simms shook his head, "Never a straight answer."

Nicole opened her mouth to argue but then nodded, "I suppose, but I don't sleep well unless I'm on the verge of passing out."

"So that's why you're out here at this hour? Couldn't sleep again, huh?"

"Maybe." She then added lightly, "That and Leo's snoring."

Simms chuckled, "Every woman I've ever known always complains about her man's snoring."

"He's not my man," she protested.

"If you say so," Simms said and started to walk around the inside of Megaton's perimeter walls, checking for any breeches that might need repairing before cautiously asking, "Not that it's any of my business, but how's he doing?"

Nicole took a deep breath, "Same as always. He showed up on my doorstep high as a kite last night."

"You know you can't save everyone, right? Not everyone wants to be saved." Simms looked at her out of the corner of his eye and saw the pained expression on her face, but didn't comment.

Nicole didn't answer back. Of course she knew that, but for so long she'd been hailed as the Wasteland's greatest hope. It was a lot to put on anyone, much less a girl who had been unfamiliar with the ways of the world outside the Vault. The desperation of the people of the Wasteland had been heartbreaking for her to see. People out here were dying of things that she had never experienced. Lack of every day essentials such as food, shelter and water was everywhere. Getting Project Purity online had assuaged some of the guilt she felt for her rather comfortable upbringing, but not all of it. Since then she had tried to help as many people as she could and Leo happened to be one of her ongoing projects.

The pair of them walked in silence for some time before Simms stopped and turned to study her. He knew Nicole wasn't the happiest of people, but she looked deep in thought and more miserable than usual.

"What's bothering you?"

Nicole said without hesitation, "I'm thinking of leaving Megaton."

He nodded, "Got to admit, I'm surprised you stayed as long as you have. I thought you would have moved on to Rivet City before now. So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know yet. Not for certain. It's a big world out there and there's plenty to explore," she said.

"I see." Simms' eyes bored into her before calmly asking, "You sure this doesn't have anything to do with a certain someone slithering back into town last night?"

Nicole fidgeted, uncomfortable with his intense stare and joked, "You must have seen Burke when he arrived then. I'm surprised, and frankly a little disappointed, you didn't shoot him on sight."

Lucas ignored the joke, homing in on her sudden awkwardness and said, "Actually, Jenny Stahl told me that he was in the Brass Lantern talking to Leo." Simms was in two minds whether or not to tell her the next bit, but he thought she deserved to know. "He was asking a lot of questions about you, apparently."

Nicole put two and two together. That was how Burke had found out some of the more intimate details of her life.

"Leo sold me out," she said bitterly.

Lucas rubbed his chin, "Well, Jenny said that she was sure Burke gave Leo something but she never got a good look at what. So, yeah, I'd say Burke paid him off."

She swallowed thickly, feeling utterly betrayed by someone who was supposed to be a friend. It wasn't the first time Leo had let her down though. She'd caught him stealing from her on a few occasions so he could trade with Doc Hoff's caravan and keep Nicole in the dark that he was taking Jet again. Begging, pleading, reasoning and threatening just never got through to him. It was becoming more evident that Leo only really cared about getting his fix and Nicole was about to the point where she couldn't deal with it anymore.

"So what did that bastard want with you?" Simms pressed.

Nicole pushed her untidy hair out of her face and sighed, "He's got some work that he wants me to do."

Simms' eyebrows rose slightly, "Nothing like he wanted you to do before is it?"

"Don't worry, it's not here in Megaton; I would never do anything like that. You know me. I'm the 'Wasteland Saviour' according to Three Dog," Nicole rolled her eyes. Three Dog's constant reporting on her actions and dubbing her with such grandiose names had irritated her more than a swarm of bloat flies.

"Huh," he chuffed and leaned against a handrail. "You mightn't have done it, but you damn well considered blowing Megaton to hell."

"Not one of my finer moments, that," she said quietly.

"No, it wasn't." Simms' tone was terse. The issue of Nicole nearly carrying out Burke's wishes had been a point of contention between the sheriff and the young woman for some time now and was a subject that they rarely discussed. "You should have told me what he wanted while he was still here. Burke should have swung for that. You deserved to, as well."

Nicole sagged, "I know, okay! I still feel incredibly guilty about it. Why do you think I didn't do it?"

Simms took a deep breath and calmly said, "Look, I know I'm not your dad and you're not asking for it, but I think you need to hear this, so I'm going to tell you a few things."

Nicole crossed her arms over her chest defensively and glowered at Simms, "Go on then."

Simms fought the urge to shake Nicole and tell her to stop acting like a kid that had just been spanked.

"I think," Simms began, "when you crawled out of that hole in the ground you were so busy trying to find your dad and God knows what all else that you never had time to find who you are." Lucas dipped his head down to try and look Nicole in the eyes. He finally continued when she looked up at him. "You fought, struggled, nearly died and you did a great thing. There's nothing wrong with that, but that's all just stuff. Stuff you did. It's not who you are. I think you need to hurry up and figure out who you are before someone turns you into what they think you should be, if you catch my drift."

"Yeah, I get it," she drawled.

"Good. You need to be careful, Nicole. When you're dealing with the devil, he always wants payment in full and there's no negotiation. If you're not careful, you'll end up losing more than you gain from it."

"Lucas, I appreciate the concern, but I can handle myself."

"Oh sure, you're good when it comes to taking aim and firing, of that I've got no doubt or else you wouldn't be standing here. Burke, though, he's a whole other matter and I wonder if you've got what it takes up here," he reached out and tapped her forehead, "to really keep on top of the situation." Nicole's eyes flashed and Simms knew he had touched a nerve. "I'm not saying it to make you mad, but you'd do well to keep it in mind. Watch your back."

Nicole's head bobbed in agreement, "I will. Thanks, Lucas."

"It's no problem. Just telling you what I think, and for all I know it's not worth much anyhow. So, when are you planning on leaving?"

Nicole relaxed slightly, relieved that the lecture was over and leaned against the handrail to watch Confessor Cromwell take his usual position by Megaton's defunct nuclear bomb, lifting his praises to Atom. She often wondered how he hadn't managed to die from radiation poisoning from being so close to the bomb, but she felt certain that he'd consider it a great honour to die in such a way.

After growing tired of listening to the Confessor's religious rhetoric, she said, "I thought I'd leave late this afternoon. It's too damn hot to travel during the day. Besides, it's easier to stay out of sight in the dark. I'm not in any rush though. I told him I'd give him an answer in two weeks."

It was Lucas' turn to nod, "Smart girl. I suggest you take those two weeks to really think it through, but I think you've already made up your mind. So, when will you be back? Or will you be coming back at all?"

The dull ache of sadness settled in her chest again, "I don't know."

"Well, don't stay gone too long." Simms clapped a hand on her shoulder, "Most people here kind of like having you around."

As he walked away, Nicole wondered if he included himself in that statement, but didn't think about it long before she remembered something and called his name.

"Lucas!" She dug around in a pocket and pulled out a small package. "I thought Harden might like this." With a casual underhand toss, she threw it to Simms who caught it with as much ease as it had been thrown.

"Bubblegum," he smiled broadly thinking of what his son's reaction would be. "I haven't seen any of this stuff in ages. I'm sure Harden will love it. Thank you much, Nicole. You take care, alright?"

"You're welcome, and I will. Thanks," she gave him a small smile and waved goodbye before she trotted off to her house to start preparing to leave.

As soon as she was out of sight, she began to cry. Not wanting to be seen in such a state, she ran the rest of the way to her house. Before she opened the door, she paused long enough to wipe away the tears, but any feelings of nostalgia for Megaton were quickly replaced with irritation when she walked into her house to find Leo raiding her pantry.

"Morning, Leo," she said with a hint of weariness.

"Hey Nicky," he greeted her around a mouthful of food and held up a box of Dandy Boy Apples. "I didn't think you'd mind if I helped myself."

Leo's failure to even entertain the notion that she might mind made her grit her teeth, but he hadn't noticed and continued to graze through the various tins, packets and boxes that she had neatly stored on the rickety shelves.

She watched in disbelief for a moment and then threw up her hands in exasperation, found her knapsack and began to pack things into it without another word.

Leo watched her intently, his eyes glittering brightly like those of an expectant child on Christmas Eve.

"What are you doing, Nicky?" he asked as he took another bite of an apple and went over to watch her.

"Packing," was the short, sharp reply.

Leo recoiled slightly, wondering what was wrong, but shrugged it off and asked, "The Brotherhood sent for you? Let me guess... Super Mutant Behemoths are overrunning DC?"

"No."

"Oh, um, are the Enclave back?"

"No, Leo."

"C'mon Nicky, tell me what it is!"

She elbowed him out of the way and went to her pantry to get some food before he ate it all and mumbled, "It's none of those things, Leo. It's a private contract, but I expect you already know that."

Leo looked thoughtful for a moment and then brightened, "Oh wait, was it that guy in the hat?"

Nicole's head snapped up, "His name is Mister Burke."

"Yeah, he came in the Lantern looking for you and asked some questions," Leo said cautiously and avoided looking at her.

Nicole's eyes narrowed and she growled, "And he paid you off with Jet. Jenny told Lucas about it."

"Well..." Leo stalled.

"Thanks Leo," she muttered. "I'm so glad that I mean so much to you."

"What?" Leo was truly puzzled. "Nicky, what's the big deal?"

"There are some things that are private, Leo, things that I told you and trusted you to keep to yourself. A man like Burke..." she sighed and shook her head, "Burke's not your run of the mill thug who thinks he can get what he wants by beating you and stealing it, Leo. He's smart and wily. What you did was tantamount to giving him a loaded gun and pointing him in my direction." Nicole looked around to see if there had been anything she'd forgotten and then said, "I'm going upstairs to get my armour."

As he watched her trudge up the steps, Leo had a niggling feeling in the back of his head that he'd actually done something wrong, but he did what he usually did and justified his actions to himself. _"Nicole's too touchy. She just doesn't get it. She doesn't get that I needed that Jet,"_ he thought sulkily.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. He wondered how much of a friend she actually was. She often was interfering and condescending towards him and he didn't appreciate it. If she was so much of a friend, she'd accept him as he was.

Leo could care less if she wanted to leave. In fact, he felt quite certain that he'd be better off without her hovering over him all the time and preaching to him. The only thing he'd miss was being able to screw her when he wanted, but she wasn't the only woman in Megaton. He licked his lips and looked around the room, his eyes settling on the lockers where she kept most of her weapons and ammo.

Moving with cat-like grace, he silently padded across the room and opened the locker, pleading with it not to rattle or squeak as he did so. It listened to him and the door opened as quietly as the day it had been made over 200 years ago.

Taking another nervous glance around he started to take Electron Charge Packs and secrete them into his pockets.

~*~*~*~

Nicole had finished strapping the last bit of armour on and sagged under its weight. She hated wearing the stuff, but it had saved her life on more than one occasion and she never wandered far without it. Some of the Brotherhood of Steel conveyed their disgust for her choosing to wear the Enclave armour over their own, but she would have been foolish to choose the inferior suit for the sake of displaying loyalty.

Besides, she didn't feel particularly enamoured with the Brotherhood as it was.

Their hunger for technology seemed out of touch with what was going on around them and she felt that they would do better by using their tech in a humanitarian way, but who was she to tell them what to do? The Brotherhood of Steel did as they wished.

Their leader, Elder Owyn Lyons, seemed to understand that the focus of the group had to change and help the people of the Capitol Wasteland, but change seemed to happen slowly. Nicole found it frustrating to deal with them, most of the time.

Making one last check of the fastenings, latches and catches of her armour, she picked up her helmet and started down the stairs in time to see Leo quickly pocket something and move away from her storage locker. Everything about the way he moved screamed of guilt.

It was rare that Nicole swore, but she'd finally been pushed too far.

"What the fuck do you think you are doing?" she hissed at him.

Leo jumped and spun to look up at her. Nicole couldn't help but notice that his well practiced hangdog expression was in place before he fully looked at her.

"Well? Why are you stealing from me... again? Damn it Leo, I need those more than you do!" She rushed over and dug the cells from his pockets, which, much to Nicole's even greater annoyance made him smile. "I have a good mind to put a bullet in you for this! I'd be well within my rights!"

"Nicky, calm down, you've got loads of them! I didn't think you'd notice a couple were missing," Leo tried to placate her and put his hands on her shoulders.

Nicole shoved him away, "And what were you going to do with them, huh? Trade them with Doc Hoff?" Her fists clenched at her side to keep from strangling him.

"And what if I did? What are you going to do about it? You're bailing out anyhow. What a great friend you are!" Leo glared at her.

"I'm a hell of a lot better friend than most the people you know! And you know what? I've had enough of all this," her hands motioned wildly. "I've tried for nearly two years now to get you clean and I'm sick of it! You want to kill yourself with that crap? You go right ahead and do it! I'm not going to do a fucking thing to try and stop you! But damn it Leo," she ran her hand through her hair and she said in a choked voice, "I can't stay here and watch you do it! I can't because..." she hesitated and mumbled, "I just can't."

Nicole quickly turned and went to get her pack and plasma rifle but Leo grabbed her arm, turned her around and looked into her eyes. What Nicole had left unsaid was plain to see and it stunned him. All the times she'd argued that they were just using each other, that they were nothing more than friends who just happened to sleep together, she'd blown all of that pretence away with a single look. She'd finally stripped herself of all barriers and he could see the truth.

"Please let me go, Leo," she said and weakly tried to pull away.

Leo was stunned and after a few moments, he let go.

As Nicole hoisted her belongings onto her back, Leo finally found his voice and said, "Nicky, don't go."

Nicole sighed and hung her head, "Leo, I have to. I have to do this for myself."

"Will you be back?" he asked, sounding more like a child worrying about being separated from his mother than a grown man.

Nicole looked at him, tears glistening in her eyes. Again the truth was there, seen but unspoken.

"Aw, Nicky, please don't do this. I promise I'll change," He went over and tried to pull her into a hug, but the armour kept him at a distance.

"Leo," she held his face in her hands, "I've heard it too often. I'm going. That's final. Last night you proved to me that I can't trust you and I'll be damned if I let myself get any closer to you," she said while her thumbs gently stroked his cheeks.

"Nicky..." he pleaded, but Nicole tenderly pressed her lips to his to stop him from saying anymore.

"Go Leo, please. Don't make this any harder than it already is," she said, her voice husky with the hurt she felt.

Leo touched his forehead to hers for a moment and then did as he was asked without looking back.

Nicole let out a shuddering breath as the door to her little shack closed. The urge to run after him, call him back and tell him that she was staying was almost unbearable. She fought back tears, and finally managed to gain control of herself.

"Wadsworth?" Nicole summoned the Mister Handy robot that she had taken ownership of when she was given the house.

Wadsworth, who had started hiding in the spare upstairs room when Nicole had Leo over, floated down the stairs and greeted her, "Ah, yes, Madame is there something I can do for you?"

"Yes. I am leaving for a while. Make sure no one breaks in while I'm away."

"Very good, Madame. Shall I use lethal force on any intruders?" the robot asked with a hint of hopefulness, his rotary blade making a slow rotation for emphasis.

Nicole blinked, slightly unnerved by his eagerness and said, "God no! Just make sure they don't loot the place. Especially Leo."

Wadsworth let out a disappointed metallic sigh, "As you wish, Madame."

Nicole gave her robotic butler a wary side glance before looking around her house one last time. Deep in her heart, she hoped that she would be able to come back to Megaton, but for now, this was how it had to be.

Picking up her helmet, Nicole put it on and made sure it was seated properly before latching it in place then she left the house and locked the door behind her. She knew that she couldn't handle seeing Leo or any of his family right now, so she carefully picked her way through the narrow alleyways behind her house that led to Megaton's front gate.

Taking a deep breath, she walked through them and out into the Wasteland. It was already late afternoon and the sun hung low in the sky giving it a hazy purple tinge. The heat of the day was starting to die away, which Nicole was thankful for. Power armour on hot summer's day was like being stuck in an oven.

"Tenpenny Tower, here I come," she said, but in spite of Nicole's best efforts to sound happy, her words sounded flat and forced.

Nicole was hesitating. Lucas Simms' words were echoing through her mind.

_"I suggest you take those two weeks to really think it through..."_

Perhaps he had been right. Besides, if she showed up at Tenpenny Tower today it would certainly send Burke the wrong message. The last thing she wanted was for him to think that she could be easily manipulated and controlled. She wasn't about to become his lap dog.

Nicole stood there for sometime before she began walking in the direction of The Citadel.

_"Two weeks I told him, and two weeks it will be."_


	3. Chapter 3

Like a king surveying all that he owned, Burke stood on the balcony of his suite and watched the early morning light turn the horizon a hazy pink threaded with gold. The pale sunlight made the already eerie landscape even more so as it cast strange shadows around long ago burned trees and broken buildings. It was a still morning, the air already humid and oppressive and there was no doubt it would get much worse before the middle of the day. It made Burke thankful that he lived up here. It was at least possible to leave the doors open and let what little breeze there was through.

Burke stretched and listened to his spine crack. He hated this time of the day if for no other reason than it reminded him that he was indeed getting older. Ageing wasn't something he feared as other people did though. If anything he saw his age as a true accomplishment in a world where so few made it past their 40th birthdays, much less their 58th. Of course, most of that was attributable to the fact that he had the luck of the Devil himself and had managed to land on his feet early on in life.

As of late, though, Burke had begun to feel incredibly restless. Perhaps it was a midlife crisis, but after spending the better part of his life in relative luxury, he was longing to do something different. When he was approached and asked to find a G.E.C.K., he had seized the opportunity with both hands. To say that the job ahead was daunting was an understatement so it had seemed fair to Burke that he insist on being paid handsomely for his efforts. However, it would be like finding the proverbial needle in a very large haystack and Burke was neither proud enough nor fool enough to think that he could carry out his appointed task singlehandedly.

Why else had he sought the assistance of the famed and fabled Lone Wanderer herself? She was resourceful and intelligent, which would make her an ideal ally.

Or an amusing puppet.

He lit a cigarette, took a deep drag of it and then watched as the nebulous cloud dissipated into the air around him. When he had agreed to give her two weeks to make up her mind, it sounded such a short span of time. Fourteen days. Half a month. They should have come and gone as if nothing. These particular last two weeks had dragged by slower than any two weeks he could ever remember.

Finding ways to pass the time had been difficult. Burke usually avoided the other Tower residents, but for the sake of trying to keep his mind off how slow time was going he had drifted between the shops, the Federalist Lounge, and the courtyard listening to the same vacuous conversations over and over. When that became more than he could bear he would return to his suite and watch the horizon from his balcony, feeling the slightest thrill when something approached.

He had been disappointed every time, though.

So, two weeks had nearly passed and there was still no word from Nicole as to what she intended on doing. Burke hadn't been surprised. Nicole had changed from being painfully naive to being painfully stubborn, it seemed. It was obvious that she would try to prove that he had no hold over her, which he understood. No one ever wanted to believe that they were indebted to anyone, but nearly everyone was, whether they wanted to admit it or not. The trick was to ensure that you were the one who required payment from many which was something Burke was very good at.

Burke's brow furrowed, worried that he would have to carry out on his threat and employ the Talon Company hitmen. He hated dealing with the Talons. They were crass at best, but Burke reckoned that their rough and ready attitude was necessary for the work they did. The thought of hiring them pained him greatly, but not from any sentimental feelings he had for the girl. It was mainly due to the fact that he didn't want to end up losing anymore caps on a fruitless venture. Nicole, in the past, had proven to be more resilient than she appeared and Burke figured that it would take nearly a whole squadron of Talons to dispose of her.

Surely she wouldn't risk angering him again though?

There had been a hungry look in her eyes that night in Moriarty's, but not the kind of hunger he usually saw in those who inhabited the Wasteland. Their eyes held a haunted type of desperation. Nicole's eyes looked sharp and keen, like those of a predatory bird watching its prey from on high. Burke had been amused when he realized it was a look that he'd often seen in his own eyes when he was a young man. Nicole wanted more than the squalid life she'd cobbled together in Megaton and Burke could see it as plain as the nose on her face.

Burke puffed on his cigarette again and decided that if he hadn't heard from her by the end of the day he would send word to the Talons that they had been given the green light, even though his heart really wasn't in it. There was a short supply of interesting characters in the world. It would be a pity to have one done in for such a ridiculous reason, but he was, as he said, a man of his word. To start making empty threats now would send the message that he was going soft and that could prove to be fatal.

Burke was so deep in thought that he didn't hear Susan Lancaster emerge from the bedroom and approach him.

"Morning, lover," she whispered seductively to him.

Burke's back stiffened slightly as Susan's arms slinked around him like a velveteen boa constrictor and she kissed his shoulder.

Without taking his eyes off the horizon he merely said, "Susan."

"You're up early," she cooed while sliding around to ingratiate herself between Burke and the balustrade of the balcony. Burke fought the urge to push her over the handrail when her hips ground against his.

"I have some business to attend to today," he said while casually flicking the cigarette butt over the edge.

"Yeah?" Susan's eyes glittered hopefully while her fingertips traced down his spine and then lightly fingered the waist of his pyjamas. "What kind of business?"

Burke's jaw tensed imperceptibly for a second and wondered how it would feel to wrap his hands around her neck and squeeze the very life out of her, to feel the bones cracking from the pressure.

Resisting this desire, he finally answered, "Nothing concerning you."

"Well that's a shame." She wrapped her arms around his neck and wriggled against him, making the satin negligee she was wearing ride up. "Why don't you come back to bed?" she said salaciously and went to kiss him.

Burke let out a long suffering sigh and turned his head to avoid the kiss. It wasn't often that he felt the need to invite Susan into his inner sanctum, but she had at least provided a distraction for a short while. Why the damnable woman couldn't have found her way back to her apartment after everything had been said and done the previous night was beyond him. She knew that he hated it when she outstayed her welcome, yet she did it every time.

"You'll find your payment on the table next to the door." Burke's eyes met her tired, watery blue eyes and said, "There's double the agreed amount."

Susan smirked and nuzzled against his bare chest, "That pleased were you?"

"No," Burke sneered, "your performance last night was as lacklustre as ever."

Her eyelashes fluttered in surprise and she asked, "What do you mean?"

"You think that you're the belle of the ball, don't you? That all the men here are enthralled by your grace and beauty?" He extricated himself from her embrace, went back inside his suite and turned on the radio, leaving Susan on the balcony to stew.

Burke's words hit like soft bombs in Susan's mind and started a fire. At first she just stood there, agape and in shock, but finally anger took over and she chased after him.

"I didn't hear any complaints last night! If anything, just the opposite!" she pouted and put her hands on her hips

"I was merely making up for your apparent lack of interest. Someone had to."

Burke started gathering up her things, casting a jaundiced eye at a silk stocking before draping it over his arm. Such fine underthings were a rarity and Burke daren't think about how much she had paid Anthony Ling for them or what she had done to be able to afford them.

"It was business, Susan. Nothing more, nothing less. You seem unable to tell the difference between that and genuine affection."

"You certainly could have fooled me!" The anger she felt had made unattractive splotches of red rise on her neck and chest.

"I have never done anything to lead you on and if that's what you believed, you've been played for a fool by not just me, but most of the men here. Do you think that they give you caps and presents and trinkets because of some deep feeling of love for you? Of course that's not the case, Susan. It is, as I said, a business arrangement. They pay you and you provide a service. It's hardly our fault if you're too ignorant to know that we only want one thing from you."

Susan huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, but still felt somewhat vindicated. Burke didn't know about the love letters she had received from Edgar Wellington II. True, Edgar still paid her at the end of the evening just like all the other men, but at least he didn't make her feel like a tramp the way Burke did.

"So why bother paying me double?"

"Consider it your severance pay." Burke held her clothes out to her. "Your services are no longer required."

Susan snatched her belongings, tossed her head haughtily and snorted, "Yeah, right. You're just like all the others. You'll be knocking on my door before too long."

"Desperate times call for desperate measures, Susan. I can assure you that I won't be that desperate for some time." Burke sat on an ancient, faded damask sofa that had been recovered from another part of Tenpenny Tower and stretched his arms over the back of it. "Now, if you will so kindly get dressed and leave. As I said, I have much to attend to today and you are wasting valuable time."

She stood there for a bit longer before stomping off into the bedroom, cursing Burke under her breath, but loud enough so that he could make out half of what she said.

Burke rolled his eyes and leaned his head back on the sofa. He needed time to think and plan and Susan's dramatics were making it difficult.

Finally she emerged and sashayed past Burke leaving the smell of cheap perfume in her wake. Without looking at him, she went to the door and threw it wide.

"Don't forget your caps," he said dully to the ceiling and then let his head loll so he could see her in the doorway.

Susan froze, one foot over the threshold, the other still in the suite. For a brief moment, Susan's shoulders slumped with the shame she felt and it made Burke's lips quirk into a terrible, cruel smile.

Pulling herself up to her full height, she glared at him over her shoulder.

"Fuck you Burke," she hissed with as much vitriol as she could muster.

Burke's smile grew and he laughingly said, "I thought that's what you did last night? Run along now, Susan. Shut the door behind you."

A strangled cry of rage was the only intelligible thing Susan was able to manage before she picked up the caps, threw them at Burke and stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

Fortunately for Susan, her heels clicking loudly on the marble floor drowned out the sound of cold laughter coming from Burke's suite.

While Burke sat and savoured the moment a bit longer, the shouting coming from the radio didn't even register.

"_Hellooooooo children! Three Dog here, coming at you from a DC hellhole!" _cried the best known (and only) DJ in the Capitol Wasteland.

Burke continued to ignore it as he got up and walked into the bedroom to dress for the day.

"_Feelin' kinda low lately? Kinda like you don't know where to turn? Don't lose hope! The Brotherhood of Steel are still fighting The Good Fight for the Capitol Wasteland! Never give up! Now, if that doesn't make ya happy, then ol' Three Dog's got a bit of news that might turn that frown upside down! _

_Whatever happened to that loony lass from Vault 101, that Messiah of the Wastes? Two years now, faithful listeners, two years ago she helped make Project Purity a reality and the waters of life are still flowing free and clean for us all!"_

Burke stopped in his tracks and then walked over to the radio, a frown tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"'_But Three Dog, where's she disappeared to?' you ask. Well children, I'll tell ya! I've got it on good authority that Miss 101's been hanging out with the Knights and Paladins over at the Citadel for the past two weeks!"_

"You little bitch!" Burke growled at the radio. The last thing he wanted was for anyone to know what he was up to. He relied on remaining invisible to the Brotherhood and those of their ilk. He'd at least figured that Nicole had been wise enough to keep her mouth shut, but obviously not. There was no forgiving this breech of his trust and she would be made to pay dearly for it.

Three Dog continued rambling, _"Now, the kid won't say what she's up to or where she's going, but GLORY HALLELUJAH! THE LONE WONDERER RIDES AGAIN! Now for some music."_

As Billie Holiday began singing about how crazy in love she was, the anger that had twisted Burke's usually inscrutable expression into one of pure vile hatred suddenly died off.

So Nicole hadn't spilled the beans after all.

He couldn't help it but an arrogant smirk spread over his face.

"You clever little minx," he purred and hummed along with the radio as he went to prepare for the day's events.

~*~*~*~

Nicole sat in the floor of the quarters that she had been sharing with some of the other Knights and scattered her belongings and gear around her. Although it was still incredibly early, all of her bunkmates were already out for the day and she took the opportunity to start her preparations for her journey to Tenpenny Tower. If all went according to plan, she would hopefully arrive there shortly before the agreed deadline and not a moment sooner.

She checked the safety of her plasma rifle and then removed the micro fusion cell from the chamber. Next her nimble fingers began breaking the weapon down into its individual components so she could do some routine maintenance on one of her favourite weapons. Experience had taught her that if you treated your weapon with respect, it would never fail you when you needed it most of all.

The past two weeks had flown by and Nicole had been surprised by that, but between scavenging parts for Scribe Rothchild's ongoing work on Liberty Prime and patrolling with some of the other Knights, it was bound to. During those two weeks, when she had a few quiet moments to herself, she had thought long and hard about what Burke had proposed.

It was no doubt going to be an incredibly dangerous quest, but one that relied on mental ability as well as physical strength. That was what Nicole liked about it. For too long she'd been relying on strength alone to eke out a living and Burke was offering her the chance to use her talents fully. It was an exciting prospect for her.

It was just a shame that she was going to be accountable to Burke. Nicole didn't trust him and there were still far too many questions in her mind for her liking, but she had put those concerns aside for the moment. When she arrived she would question him more thoroughly and hopefully get some straight answers.

Not that she would hold her breath for them, but she could live in hope.

While her head was bent over the rifle she was repairing, she quietly hummed a tune and smiled to herself. Happiness had become an incredibly rare emotion for her, so she savoured the moment as long as she could. Carefully she began piecing the plasma rifle back together, utterly engrossed by her work.

"Feel up to having some company?"

Nicole looked up from the rifle and did a double take. She had become so accustomed to seeing Sarah Lyons in power armour that she nearly didn't recognize her without it. Smiling at the blonde haired woman who was leaning against the doorframe, she nodded.

"Sarah, come on in."

Sarah, who usually exuded confidence, felt exposed and vulnerable without her armour and shyly entered the room. Sitting on the bed, she pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.

"You're not going to believe this, but my father just now got around to telling me you were here," Sarah said with a hint of amusement over her father's faux pas.

Nicole chuckled, "You're kidding, right?"

"I wish I were. He's been busy lately, but that's nothing new," Sarah said, sounding a bit sad over the situation.

Sarah's father, Elder Owyn Lyons, led the Eastern chapter of the Brotherhood of Steel and she often worried that the stress of leadership was becoming too much for him. He was, after all, 77 and showed no sign that he intended on stepping down anytime soon.

Nicole nodded but wasn't surprised.

"I don't think he fully registered my arrival anyhow."

"I'd heard from some of the others that you'd turned up. Sorry I haven't come to say hi before now, but you know how it is," Sarah shrugged.

"Yeah, I suppose you've been out with the Pride, haven't you?" Nicole continued to put her weapon back together.

Sarah smiled at the mention of her elite squad, The Lyons' Pride, and said brightly, "We're still trying to keep the Mutants out, but it seems that we're seeing fewer of them." She fidgeted a bit and cautiously asked, "So what brings you here? You've not been to The Citadel in a long time now."

Nicole's good mood died and was replaced by an old and familiar heartache. Briefly glancing at Sarah, she softly said, "I haven't been around since Jack died."

Sarah avoided looking at Nicole and said, "I know."

Sarah was used to seeing new initiates make stupid mistakes and getting killed out in the field. Detachment was the policy she lived by and she didn't really bother getting to know someone unless they had been around for a while.

At the time, though, Nicole hadn't learned that and had gotten involved with a young initiate named Jack Wallace. Their romance had been short lived, unfortunately.

In an attempt to offer some sympathy Sarah said, "He would have made a great Knight someday."

Nicole scowled and said bitterly, "No he wouldn't have. If he was so talented he wouldn't have gone off and gotten himself splattered by that Overlord."

Nicole's eyes closed, remembering the horrible sight. She'd been out on patrol with a group near the old Capitol Building, which was notorious for Super Mutant activity. They were picking their way through the maze of deeply furrowed trenches when she heard an anguished cry crackle over the comm. She had known instantly it was Jack and damning protocol and procedure, she broke into a sprint so she could rush to his aid.

Sadly, it wasn't fast enough.

As she rounded a corner, she saw that Jack had been cornered by a massive Super Mutant Overlord. The next few moments seemed to be in slow motion, etching every terrible detail in her mind. With an arcing swing, the Overlord brought his sledge down on Jack's helmet. Although power armour was meant to withstand a lot of abuse, it had little chance against such an attack. There was a sickening hollow metallic clang as the helmet gave way to the blunt force and crumpled like a tin can.

Letting out a scream of her own, Nicole had squeezed off several well-aimed headshots and brought down the Mutant, but she didn't stop there. Over and over and over she fired, screaming and cursing the twisted creation that had just taken away the one thing that had made her happy since leaving Vault 101.

All she could remember after that was some of the other Knights pulling her off the fallen Mutant and being dragged back to the Citadel in hysterics.

Nicole's brow knit together and she tried to close the lid on that particular box.

Waving dismissively she said, "I just felt like stopping in for a visit, that's all."

"Oh, really? That has the faint whiff of Brahmin shit, you know?" Sarah slid into the floor to sit next to Nicole and elbowed her. As she leaned back and propped herself up on her hands, one strayed under the bed and elicited a tinkling sound from a collection of empty bottles that were hidden in the shadows.

Sarah pulled a couple of them out and sat them on the floor in front of her, "Nicole?"

Nicole turned red with embarrassment and avoided Sarah's questioning look and muttered, "I have nightmares. Really bad ones."

Sarah nodded. She'd seen her fair share of fighters hit the bottle when they couldn't deal with what they'd been through, and it rarely had a good outcome. Hopefully Nicole would be able to change her ways before it was too late.

"Anyway..." Nicole tried to change the subject, "Can't a girl take a stroll through Mutie infested ruins to visit some friends?"

Sarah was nobody's fool, but allowed Nicole to wiggle away from the awkward situation.

"Well, as I said, the number of Mutants seems to be dwindling. Also, after what happened, your apathy for the Brotherhood was pretty obvious."

Nicole, who had been nervously fiddling with her rifle for most of the conversation, rammed the micro fusion cell home and jammed it.

"Damn it!"

"Here, let me..." Sarah reached for the rifle.

"I can fix it myself!" Nicole held the rifle out of Sarah's reach like a stingy child who didn't want to share her toys.

Sarah put her hands up defensively, "I didn't say you couldn't. I was just offering to help."

Nicole drooped, "Sorry. I've just had a lot on my mind."

"Sounds ominous," Sarah laughed, but then turned serious and pinned Nicole with a dark look. "So why are you really here, Nicole?"

Nicole gave Sarah a suspicious glance. Since arriving at The Citadel, she'd been repeatedly quizzed as to why she'd come here but hadn't given anyone a straight answer. The thought that Sarah had been sent in to interrogate her made her angry, but she decided to give her the benefit of the doubt even though she and Sarah had never been particularly close. Although Sarah had, at one time, expressed that if things were different she would have liked to have been Nicole's friend.

Nicole was desperate to talk to someone and try to get an objective opinion, but she wasn't sure how much she could trust Sarah with. The last thing she wanted was to have to put up with the Brotherhood interfering with her business.

She let out an exasperated sigh, "Fine. I've just had to make some big decisions lately, that's all." Nicole finally removed the cartridge from the Plasma Rifle and said offhandedly, "I left Megaton."

Sarah raised an eyebrow, "How come?"

"I needed to get away from there, get some perspective." Nicole nudged one of the empty scotch bottles, "I've spent the past year turning into the alcoholic non-girlfriend of the town junkie. That's not who I want to be."

"So getting out now is probably a good thing?"

"Yeah," Nicole said, sounding miserable. Even though she didn't want to admit it, she was homesick for Megaton. What had been an even bigger surprise was how much she was missing Leo.

"What's the problem then?"

"Two weeks ago I was quite - well, I was going to say happily, but that's not the truth - I was getting drunk in Moriarty's Saloon, minding my own business when someone came in and offered me a job." Nicole began putting some of her things in her pack and not so innocently queried, "Ever heard of a Mister Burke from Tenpenny Tower?"

Sarah looked thoughtful for a moment and then shook her head, "No, afraid not."

Nicole chuckled, "Huh, he'd be most disappointed, I'm sure."

"Who is he?"

"Honestly? I don't know. All I know is his last name, and I'll admit that I think it's an alias, that he lives in Tenpenny Tower and," she ducked her head mumbled the next bit, "he wanted me to blow up Megaton two years ago."

"He what!?" Sarah was shocked. If such a plot had existed, the Brotherhood had never caught as much as a whisper of it.

"Christ..." Sarah breathed.

Nicole nodded and continued, "Burke wanted me to rig the bomb in Megaton for him. I ended up disabling it instead."

"What a prick," Sarah said with disgust.

For a second, Nicole opened her mouth to defend him, but decided against it. Burke _was_ a prick and for multiple reasons that she didn't care to get into with Sarah.

"Yeah, he is. He hired Talon hitmen to kill me for not doing what he wanted."

"God, the man's got more caps than sense then. I'm shocked you didn't hunt him down for it! I would have done." Sarah's eyes glinted coldly. Her reputation as a fierce fighter was well known and Nicole had seen it firsthand.

"So what did he want this time?"

Nicole lied, "He wants me to do some scouting missions for him in adjacent States."

"I see." Again, Sarah was starting to get the feeling Nicole was lying to her. "Why?" she prodded.

Nicole fastened the pack closed and shrugged, "God knows. He's a law unto himself. Although he did mention that he was becoming tired of the others at Tenpenny Tower. Something about them being empty headed bores. I can't blame him. They're the worst group of elitists I've ever met." She paused and flicked her eyes to Sarah before adding, "Apart from the Enclave... and the Outcasts."

Sarah bristled slightly at the mention of the Brotherhood's splinter faction, the Outcasts. The schism between those who had wanted to adhere rigidly to the Brotherhood's original goals of the acquisition and preservation of technology and those who had sided with her father's ideal of helping the people of the Capitol Wasteland had left deep wounds within the group.

"Speaking of the Enclave..." Sarah dropped her voice to a whisper, "I shouldn't be telling you this, but I think you need to know that we've been seeing an increased number of Enclave soldiers lately."

Nicole's eyes widened, "What are those bastards after?"

"We wish we knew," Sarah sighed. "They seem to be well organized and methodically going over the ruins, which would suggest they're looking for something, but what, we can't figure out. They're probably just scrounging what they can, but keep an eye open for them when you're out there."

"Yes, I will. Thanks for the info. Not that it matters now. I'm leaving today and heading southwest, so I'll be keeping clear of the DC Ruins," Nicole said while putting her armour on.

Sarah watched and felt annoyance over the gleaming black Tesla Armour, but said nothing. It felt like an unspoken insult to her and many of the other members of the Brotherhood that Nicole refused to wear their power armour. What was more aggravating was that Sarah didn't seem to care who she upset with her actions.

"Heading back to Megaton, then?"

Nicole shook her head, hefted the heavy torso plating over her head and grunted when it weighed down on her shoulders. The pressure eased once she had it properly lined up with the lower half of the suit of armour and latched into place.

"No. I told Burke I'd give him an answer in two weeks time so I'm heading to Tenpenny Tower."

Sarah looked as if she'd just tasted something sour and said, "Why don't you send a letter with one of the caravans and tell him to fuck off and die?"

Nicole laughed loudly, "Oh, no. No, no, no. I really don't care to have the Talons after me in full force again."

"Would he really do that?" Sarah looked disbelieving. "You're sure it wasn't an idle threat to get you to do what he wants?"

Nicole nodded sombrely, "He more or less promised that if I didn't answer him, he would. He'll do it. You don't know him like I do."

"Huh!" Sarah scoffed. "And from what you've said, you hardly know him at all."

"That's very true," Nicole agreed but in her heart of hearts she knew Burke had no qualms over ordering her death.

"When are you leaving then?"

"Soon. It'll take me nearly all day to get there from here."

"Well," Sarah stood, "be careful out there. Don't let Burke ride you too hard. Show him who's boss."

Nicole looked at Sarah and said, "Thanks. Maybe I'll head back here when I get some free time."

Sarah laughed, "That'd be a bit of a busman's holiday, don't you think? You'd never get a moment's peace from Scribe Rothchild and his never ending quest to fix Liberty Prime."

"I'd rather be busy as it is." Nicole gave Sarah a serious look, "Gives me less time to think and dwell on things, you know?"

Sarah nodded, fully understanding what she meant.

"The Pride's out at the Seward Square area today. We're keeping the Muties out, but the damned Raiders are taking their place. Honestly, I think they're worse. The Mutants fail at hiding and are pretty damn blatant. The others..." Sarah shook her head and her lip curled, "you think you've got them all cleared out and next thing you know you've got them ambushing you, the bastards. Anyhow, I better go. It won't look good if the boss shows up late, you know?" Sarah winked. "Be careful out there."

"I will do. You do the same, Sarah."

Sarah waved and trotted out of the room, leaving Nicole alone again. She sighed, nudged the empty bottles that Sarah had found with her toe and was thankful she hadn't found the other four that were lurking under her bunk.

"Well, time to get suited and booted, I guess," Nicole said to no one in particular and put her hair into a loose chignon at the nape of her neck before pulling on the rest of her armour, minus her helmet. The last thing she needed was some trigger happy Paladin mistaking her for a true Enclave soldier and shooting her dead.

Once she had all her things, Nicole left the quarters and made her way through the Citadel's courtyard. All around her were initiates, Knights and Paladins training and preparing to do battle with whatever lay in wait for them in the D.C. Ruins. She was more than aware of the stares that she was getting, but really, she didn't give a damn anymore.

Nicole saw Elder Lyons and Sarah across the courtyard, deep in conversation and occasionally glancing in her direction. There was no guessing what they were talking about.

She nodded a farewell to them, which was politely returned, and then pushed open the doors that led out into the Capitol Wasteland.

"_Right then, Mister Burke, you and I have some business to discuss,"_ Nicole thought while putting on her helmet.

Hidden behind the helmet, Nicole smiled from the excitement she felt and with a spring in her step, she set off on her long trek to Tenpenny Tower.

~*~*~*~

Elder Lyons watched as Nicole exited the Citadel and then turned to his daughter.

"Did she tell you why she was here?"

"No, she didn't, although she mentioned that she's been hired by some guy named Burke in that fancy schmancy Tenpenny Tower."

"Burke..." Owyn said thoughtfully. Something about the name was ringing distant bells in his mind, but he was unable to pluck it out of the fog.

He shrugged, "Well, no doubt we'll hear of what she's doing eventually. News does travel."

"Yes, father," Sarah agreed and frowned.

Whatever it was Nicole was up to, Sarah had a feeling that it wasn't going to bring good news.

~*~*~*~

Slouched in a chair on his balcony, Burke watched the Capitol Wasteland disappear in long shadows as the sun dipped lower and lower in the sky. His fingers drummed an impatient cadence on the arm of his chair.

A quick check of his watch told him that it was now nearly 9:00 PM and there was still no sign of Nicole.

All day he had given her the benefit of the doubt and he believed that at any moment she would arrive, but hadn't. Hour after hour passed, and there had been no sign of her. Now, here at the end of the day, Burke's patience had finally run out.

In the deepening gloom of the evening, his mood turned black.

If her plan was to try and make him look the fool, to hold out until the last possible moment, then it would be a move she'd regret severely. She was working for him, or at least she hopefully would be soon enough. The last thing he wanted or needed was for her to think that it was an equal partnership, because it was most definitely not.

Burke would be the one holding her chain, whether she liked it or not.

Practically leaping from his seat, he purposely made his way downstairs to find Security Chief Gustavo so that one of his men could send word to Talon Company's leader Commander Jabsco that the pre-arranged hit was to go ahead as planned.

His mind played through all sorts of delightful scenarios that might lead to Nicole's destruction. Everything from simply shooting her to garrotting her to torture played out in glorious detail and he smiled. In fact, he was incredibly tempted to have the Talons bring her to him so that he might have the pleasure of doing the job.

Striding past the other residents, and causing quite a stir as he went, Burke flung the doors open and marched into the courtyard, but he stopped when he heard a familiar voice shouting.

"Ugh, will you stop being such an arse and let me in! Burke's expecting me!"

There was a clatter as Nicole's fists hit the gate for emphasis.

Burke hid himself in the shadows to watch and listen.

Gustavo, who had been dealing with the loudmouthed upstart since she arrived, pinched the bridge of his nose and wearily said, "Look, he didn't tell me that he was expecting anyone."

"Goddamn it man! I agreed with him to be here today! NOW LET ME IN!" This time a Tesla armour assisted kick rattled the gates loudly.

"I'm just doing my job. And if you don't stop that I'll have my men go out there and make you stop it!" Gustavo shouted at her.

Burke's foul mood started to dissipate and he took great amusement at Nicole's frustration. It served her right. Before things could get out of hand though, he made his presence known by clearing his throat.

"Mister Burke," Gustavo greeted.

Burke went to the gate and peered at Nicole for a moment before turning to Gustavo and asking, "Is there a problem?"

"You can damn well bet there's a problem!" Nicole shouted.

Burke gave her a withering look, "I wasn't addressing you."

Nicole's jaw snapped shut with an audible click and she glared at Burke.

"Err, yes, Mister Burke, this _lady_ here says that you're expecting her," Gustavo jerked a thumb in Nicole's direction.

Burke once more glanced at Nicole and gave her a supercilious grin before saying, "I'm afraid that you won't be allowed in tonight."

Nicole was dumbstruck for a moment and finally shouted, "What do you mean I won't be allowed in!? This is what we agreed! I'm here! Damn it, I've walked all day to get here!"

"Didn't I tell you?" Burke's infuriating smile grew and he said, "Tenpenny Tower has a strict curfew. All residents and guests must be within the gates by 9:00 PM. Isn't that correct, Gustavo?"

Gustavo glanced at Burke. It was the first time he'd ever heard of this curfew, but he wasn't about to argue with the man who paid his wage.

"Yes, sir, Mister Burke," Gustavo agreed.

Nicole lightly banged her forehead against the gate and clung to it while mumbling, "You've got to be kidding me!"

Mister Burke shook his head, "I most certainly am not, my dear girl. By my watch it's now... 9:05. What a pity! You only just missed the cut-off." He moved closer to the gate and muttered, "If only you hadn't kept me waiting. Tsk, tsk, tsk."

"It's not my fault! It's apparently Radscorpion mating season! They were everywhere!" she lied. The truth of it was that she had taken her sweet time getting to Tenpenny Tower on purpose.

"That, Nicole, is not my concern," Burke started walking away from the gate when a sound made him stop.

She was crying.

"_Oh she is pulling out all the stops, isn't she?"_ Burke thought and finally turned to look at her again.

"Please, Burke, please let me in," Nicole sniffed and gave him a pathetic look. "I'm hot and tired and I just want to get out of this armour."

Burke crossed his arms over his chest and considered her for a moment.

"Gustavo?"

"Yes, Mister Burke?"

Burke continued to look at Nicole with an impassive face and said, "Don't let her in. I don't care if every Deathclaw in the Wasteland descends upon her. You are not to admit her until I say."

"Yes, sir," Gustavo couldn't help but quietly chuckle.

Nicole's crocodile tears dried up quickly and she shouted at Burke, "You unbelievable bastard!"

Burke smirked, turned and walked away before calling over his shoulder, "Goodnight Nicole. Don't let the bed bugs - or any other Wasteland creatures, for that matter - bite."

"Oh! I _hate_ you!" Nicole yelled at Burke's back before he disappeared into Tenpenny Tower.

Gustavo had had enough by this point and smacked the gate in front of her face with a police baton to get her attention.

Nicole jumped back, startled.

"I suggest you keep your trap shut now."

"What the hell am I supposed to do now?" Nicole grumbled.

"You can sit there and rot for all I care. I've got my orders and I'm not about to go against them."

Nicole decided that she might try a softer approach, pouted slightly and simpered, "Pretty please? I can just stay out here in the courtyard and I wouldn't be a bit of trouble. I'm sure you could find room for me." She batted her eyelashes at him.

"Huh." Gustavo was very nearly tempted to let her in, but daren't risk it. "Sorry, no can do. You'll just have to stay there for the night."

"Jerk," Nicole kicked the gate one last time for good measure and Gustavo waved the baton at her again, making her back off.

Sighing, Nicole resigned herself the situation and sat down next to the gates and tried to get as comfortable as she could, but it was difficult. Not that it really mattered. The last thing Nicole wanted was to fall asleep when she was out in the open and exposed.

Clutching her plasma rifle tightly, she leaned her head back against the perimeter wall of Tenpenny Tower and watched the darkness for any unwelcome visitors.

Nicole sighed, "This is going to be one long night."

* * *

**Author's Note: Thank you so much to everyone who has been reading my story and an even bigger thank you to those who have favourited, added it to your watch list or reviewed it so far! I appreciate every kind word I've received and it gives me the motivation to carry on. Thank you again!**


	4. Chapter 4

Gustavo peered through the gate at the girl who had arrived last night, listened to her snoring and watched as a silvery thread of drool dribbled from the corner of her mouth. The awkward angle of her head made his neck ache in sympathy just by looking at it. Every now and then she would mumble something incoherent in her sleep and then twitch or jerk as if frightened.

It was, all in all, a rather pathetic sight.

At what point she had finally succumbed to sleep, he wasn't sure. Generally speaking, Gustavo wasn't easily moved nor was he soft, but he couldn't help but feel some pity for her. Burke had obviously forced her to stay out to prove a point of some sort, but even Gustavo thought it seemed a harsh punishment. Throughout his nightshift he occasionally would pass by the gate just to make sure she was still there and in one piece. Every time he had looked, she was sitting at near attention. Hour after hour, her gaze remained fixed into the inky blackness looking for whatever might be lurking there.

If Gustavo hadn't been worried about incurring the wrath of Mister Burke, he would have let her into the courtyard at the very least, but he knew that if found out his life would have been made miserable.

Gustavo finally opened the gate, walked over to Nicole and grimaced when he noticed that she still had her plasma rifle in a death grip and her finger near the trigger.

"Great," he groaned, already imagining how this would go; he really didn't feel like being turned into a puddle of goo this morning.

Keeping his distance, he nudged Nicole with the barrel of his assault rifle and said, "Hey you, wake up."

Nicole reacted just as expected by jumping and firing wildly at the first thing her eyes settled on which, thankfully for Gustavo, happened to be a long dead tree. The shot from her weapon tore through it and splintered it into thousands of pieces that rained down on the parched earth.

"Watch it!" he exclaimed and jumped back.

"Wha?" was Nicole's mumbled reply as she looked around, trying to remember where she was and why she wasn't in her bed in Megaton when the gears in her sleep deprived brain finally engaged.

"Tenpenny Tower... damn," she said.

"Get up. Mister Burke wants to see you," he nudged her again.

Nicole slapped the gun away and snapped, "You can stop pointing that thing at me, you know!"

"After your performance last night? I don't think so. I'm going to be keeping a close eye on you." He nudged her again just to spite her, "Now move it."

Slowly Nicole got to her feet, rolled her head and grumbled about how stiff and achy she felt this morning. She then slung her pack over her shoulder, snagged her helmet by one of its devilish looking horns and shuffled through the gate.

"How do I look?" she joked drily.

"You look like you've been dragged through hell and back," Gustavo replied just as drily before walking through the courtyard, past the fountain and to the heavy metal doors that led into Tenpenny Tower.

Nicole rolled her eyes, but knew it was the truth. She was filthy, her hair was lanky and stringy and there was a faint whiff of stale sweat and grime coming from her.

"Thanks," Nicole snorted. "You know how to make a girl feel good. I bet they're all lining up to hear your sweet talk, aren't they?"

Gustavo couldn't help but laugh, "The name's Gustavo. I'm the security chief here."

"I've met you before. It was a long time ago now, though." She stifled a yawn and said, "I'm Nicole."

It suddenly dawned on him that they had indeed met before. She had come to Tenpenny Tower not quite two years ago looking for Allistair Tenpenny himself, saying that she had some business to conduct with the recluse. Gustavo had been reluctant to let her in then, but he couldn't imagine that she posed much of a threat with armed guards all over the building, so had allowed her entrance.

"Christ," he said. "What the fuck happened to you?"

Nicole gave him a sardonic smile, "The Wasteland happened to me."

He nodded gravely, fully understanding what she meant.

"Come on, like I said, Burke's waiting for you in his suite," Gustavo said as he pushed open the doors and led her into the foyer of the once grand hotel.

Nicole trudged along behind Gustavo and damned the electric thrill that she felt at the thought of being in Burke's suite but soon forgot it when the faded opulence of the former hotel grabbed her attention. It was true that Nicole had seen it all before, but it had been so long ago that it was like she was seeing it for the first time.

Two large chandeliers sparkled and shone overhead, their thousands of cut glass crystals caught the light and twinkled like stars. On the floor were Oriental rugs that felt strange and squashy under her feet in spite of the many threadbare patches. Roman style columns were capped with acanthus leaf capitals that matched the crown mouldings and ceiling. Tessellated marble flooring stretched out in all directions and the muted light from the chandeliers and wall sconces gave it a satiny sheen. Nicole daren't think of how much it had cost to originally build this monument to the excesses that could be bought by the fragile fortunes that men amassed in those years before the war.

She could almost imagine the hustle and bustle of men in their business suits and women tricked out in their finest on their arms. There would have been bellhops and staff in stiff-collared uniforms attending to the most ridiculous whims of their guests and behind the mahogany reception desk, an insufferably snobbish hotel manager would preside over all.

While Nicole marvelled at her surroundings, she gradually became aware of something else. The residents of Tenpenny Tower had come to a standstill and were watching this scruffy looking, Tesla armoured girl with as much disdain as they could manage. Around her were scandalized whispers.

"Thank God that people like her don't live here!"

"Why ever did Gustavo allow her past the gate?"

"Ugh, she's filthy."

Nicole squared her shoulders, trying to pretend she hadn't heard the rude comments.

"Ignore them," Gustavo said to her and pushed the button to call the elevator.

"I'm trying." She glared at a group of women who had been pointing and snickering at her. "Let's see how they look after walking over 15 miles in this heat and then be forced to stay outside all night."

"Like I said, ignore them," Gustavo ushered her into the elevator that had just arrived.

Nicole nervously stepped inside; she wasn't used to riding in such contraptions.

Gustavo eyed her and gave her an amused smile, "Heh, for all your bravado last night, you don't seem so sure of yourself today."

Nicole frowned, "I'm not on my home turf now. I don't like that."

"I know what you mean," Gustavo nodded. "When I worked for Talon Company one of the things we were taught was to keep the home field advantage."

Nicole's eyes widened, "You were a Talon?"

"Yeah," he chuckled. "That was a long time ago though. I got out when I realized that there were some things I just wasn't willing to do. Took a few others with me and made my own merc company."

"So how'd you end up here?"

"How else do you think we ended up here?" he gruffly said.

"Burke," she closed her eyes and leaned back against the wall of the elevator.

"Bingo." He shrugged, "I can't complain though. It pays well and we get plenty of fringe benefits."

Nicole opened her eyes and peered at him, "Scraps from the master's table, hey?"

Gustavo grunted, "Watch your mouth."

When the elevator pinged, its door rattled open onto the lobby for the penthouse suites and Gustavo shoved past her, "Come this way."

She hesitated but finally followed him to a door that led into what she remembered as being Allistair Tenpenny's suite and scowled. The elderly Englishman was not who she was here to deal with, but it was no surprise that he would be included on the meeting. No doubt it had been his idea to find a G.E.C.K. in the first place and not Burke's at all.

He unlocked the door and opened it for her, "Go on through to the balcony. Mister Burke's waiting for you there."

Nicole nodded, "Thank you."

"Just doing my job," he said and returned to the elevator, leaving her alone.

Nicole looked around the suite, noticing that Allistair Tenpenny's tastes had improved since she had last visited. Previously the suite had been littered with empty Nuka-Cola bottles and had very little in the way of mementoes or anything else of a personal nature. Now there were faded works of art on the walls and statues and other trinkets displayed on the multiple pillars. Nicole cast an appreciative eye over a glass fronted cabinet that housed an impressive weapons collection.

For some time, she remained where she was and tried to calm her nerves. Nicole could remember learning about the history of the ancient world when she was younger. For some reason, the brutal matches that the Romans watched in the Coliseum seemed to spring to mind and she wondered if what she was feeling now was similar to what those long dead gladiators felt before being thrown to the lions.

Clenching her hands to stave off the shaking they were doing, she looked around for any liquor. She was desperate for a drink right now, just one to take the edge off of everything, but she hadn't brought any with her and there was none in sight.

She sighed and raked her hands through her greasy tresses then pulled her hair back into a loose bun in an attempt to tidy up her appearance, knowing that it wasn't going to make much of a difference. Finally she approached the doors to the balcony and rested her hands on their cool metal before pushing them open to find Burke sitting in a chair, watching the horizon.

"Nicole. Please be seated," he said without looking at her.

At the sight of him, the ember of irritation she'd felt over being left outside the previous night flared into life and she marched onto the balcony and unceremoniously dumped her knapsack and helmet.

"What the hell was that about last night?" she snapped.

Burke's fingers laced together in his lap and he firmly commanded, "Sit."

He hadn't shouted, or even raised his voice, but there was a force behind the single, short word that made Nicole shut her mouth and do as she was told.

"Ah, so you can follow instructions then. After yesterday I had my doubts," he said with a hint of sarcasm.

Nicole warily said, "I already told you about the Radscorpions."

Burke finally looked at her, his lips pursed disapprovingly, "Nicole, in the future if you're going to lie to me, please do so more convincingly. Everyone knows that Radscorpions breed in the spring."

Her cheeks burned; she was embarrassed that she had been caught.

"Oh," her eyes scanned the horizon so she could avoid looking at Burke.

"Indeed, oh," he turned his gaze back to the skyline.

Nicole fidgeted and felt very uncomfortable with Burke's prolonged silences. If he was angry with her, she wished that he would say instead giving her the cold shoulder. Nervously she looked around the balcony, finally realizing something.

"Where's Tenpenny? This is his suite, right?"

"Did I not tell you?" Again Burke's head turned in her direction and he gave her an oily smile before saying, "Mister Tenpenny passed away in his sleep a few months ago. I assumed ownership of Tenpenny Tower, and this suite, shortly thereafter."

The self-satisfied look on Burke's face made her highly suspicious and she asked, "Are you sure it was from natural causes?"

Burke's grin spread, "My dear girl, are you accusing me of foul play?"

"Yes," she blurted out.

Burke laughed, "Ah, see, this is what I like, Nicole. You're far more entertaining when you're truthful."

"What about you, Mister Burke? Are you exempt from truth telling?"

"Nicole, one thing I have learned in all my years is that knowledge is power. The more one knows, the stronger his position. If I happen to play my cards close to my chest or am economical with the truth, it is not lying in the least. It is merely a matter of protecting my interests."

Nicole glared, "And you gain that knowledge by any means, don't you? Say, for instance, by bribing a Jet addict?"

Again he let out a rumble of laughter, "Oh my dear girl that pathetic Leo Stahl was so far beneath you. Besides, his actions alone should tell you where you stand with him."

Nicole bit her cracked bottom lip and winced at the pain. The bastard was trying to get under her skin again.

"Play fair, Burke, or I won't play at all."

Burke sighed, "Nicole, stop acting like a spoiled child. Your father coddled you, no doubt, and it shows at times." He glanced at her and said, "Besides, our little game started a long time before now and you know that."

Her eyes narrowed at him, "Asking me to destroy Megaton was nothing but a game to you?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes, it was. Mind you, the actual destruction of Megaton would have served its own purpose." His eyes glittered behind the tinted lenses. "The game was finding someone who was naive enough to fall for my patter."

Nicole snorted, "Burke, I know what you're trying to do, so you can stop it now."

He leaned forward, looked over the rim of his sunglasses and fixed her with an intense stare.

"Tell me, Nicole, what am I trying to do?"

She shifted and tugged at the chestplate of her armour. It had ridden up and was starting to chafe her neck.

"You're trying to wear me down."

"Me?" The corner of Burke's mouth slid up into a smirk and he sneered, "Why should I do that when you're so adept at it yourself?"

They stared at each other for some time, each studying the other and seeing who would blink first until another maddening smirk slowly curled the corner of Burke's mouth upwards.

He said with a velvety voice, "Nicole, as much as I do enjoy our banter, this is not accomplishing the task at hand."

"I haven't said that I was working for you," her eyes flashed a challenge.

"You're here, are you not?"

"You left me little choice." She idly cleaned some grit from under one of her nails and said, "Tell me Burke, why should I help you?"

He sat back in his chair and stared out over the horizon for a moment, making her wait for an answer.

"I'll make it worth your effort; I can assure you of that."

"Forgive me for saying so, but my previous experience with you taught me one thing: Your words are often empty. You promise much yet deliver little. I've got four letters from you to prove that."

Nicole watched a muscle in his jaw twitch and tried not to show pleasure over the fact that she'd managed to irk him.

Although he was annoyed that he'd allowed her an opening, he quickly filed it away that she had kept the letters he sent her.

"My dear girl, you are treading on very thin ice," he warned.

"Am I?" she pretended to be surprised. "What are you offering me? Sweeten the deal enough and I'm yours."

Burke looked at out of the corner of his eye for a moment and said, "I'll pretend that you didn't mean what you just inferred."

"I didn't infer anything," she protested, but her blushing cheeks gave her away yet again.

"Of course not, my dear girl," he smirked.

After remaining silent for bit, he took a deep breath and said, "Very well, Nicole. I will pay you 500 caps for each mission you carry out to completion. There will be a bonus of 500 caps once you locate a Vault with a G.E.C.K. Successful retrieval of the G.E.C.K. will receive a 1000 cap bonus. Any medical, weaponry, or ammunition expenditures will be partially reimbursed."

It was Nicole's turn to stare off into the distance and try to act unimpressed by the offer, but it was difficult. Burke managed to make it sound as if it were a trifling amount to pay, as well.

Trying to keep her face as impassive as she could, she nodded and said, "Is that all?"

Burke's eyebrow lifted slightly, "What more could you ask for? I've been more than generous."

She studied his profile and said, "You're to cover all medical expenses. I get the feeling this is going to be a highly dangerous journey and no doubt those hefty bonuses will barely cover the cost of any doctor's fees."

His head leaned back and he looked into the hazy blue sky before nodding slightly and saying, "Very well. So are we in agreement?"

Again she tugged at the armour and growled softly at it before hesitantly offering her hand to him, "We have a deal."

Burke looked at it disdainfully for a moment but then briefly took it. He could feel the rough calluses on her palm and it made him sad to think that he never had the pleasure of knowing her touch before she'd had to take on such unsavoury work.

Nicole, for once, gave him a genuine smile and rose to her feet.

"Well, now that that's settled, how about a drink?" she winked at him.

"Ah, ah, ah..." he waved a finger at her. "We have one other matter to discuss," Burke stood and walked into his suite, motioning for her to follow him, which she did reluctantly.

There was an awkward silence between them as they passed through Burke's suite and out into the lobby again, to stop outside a door. Burke produced a key from his pocket, unlocked it and held the door open for Nicole.

Nicole peeked into the room and then looked at Burke questioningly.

"This is your suite," Burke said and ushered her into the room by placing his hand in the small of her back.

Much to his disappointment, Nicole quickly darted in to avoid the touch and looked around the room, "As grateful as I am, I thought I'd work from Megaton."

Moving swiftly, Burke was soon at her elbow, "I'd prefer to keep an eye on you."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" she chuckled. "Don't you trust me, Burke? Or are you worried I'll run off with your precious G.E.C.K.?"

"It's not a matter of trust," he said while opening the balcony doors to let some fresh air into the stale room. "You represent a significant investment. It would be foolish of me to allow you to run about of your own volition and not see a return on this little venture." He returned to stand in front of her, his hands on his hips.

Nicole stepped back, feeling intimidated by Burke's height advantage over her.

Burke chuckled and said, "Why don't you take a look around."

"A-alright," she stammered. His presence was suddenly very overwhelming and she put as much space between them as she could by exploring her new apartment.

"Heh," she eyed a Mr. Handy robot that was floating in the corner of the room, on standby. "I hope he's more agreeable than the one I had in Megaton. Wadsworth could be a misery at times."

"I think it was part of their design, to be honest," Burke kept his distance and crossed his arms over his chest, watching every move she made. Instead of the sure fluid movements he had seen her make before she was now tentative and cautious. He was amused that a slight touch and standing too close to her had suddenly made her so apprehensive.

Nicole looked on the shelves, in the desk and safe, the footlocker, and finally looked in the wardrobe to find it full of clothes. She raised an eyebrow at Burke.

He merely shrugged, "I took the liberty of buying a few things for you. Your usual scruffy attire will not suffice when you're here, Nicole."

For a moment she glowered at him but then started to thumb through the assorted dresses.

"You shouldn't have, really." There was a hint of dislike in her voice. There wasn't a single one that she could imagine wearing.

"You are an incredibly fickle woman," he said wearily.

She laughed and shook her head, "No. I just know what I like. And this..." she held up a green belted dress, "I do not like."

"Suit yourself then," he shrugged again.

Putting the dress away, she resumed her prowling, but not for long.

Burke had stalked up behind her and said in a low, sultry purr, "You have a queen sized bed, as well."

Nicole quickly turned to face him and gasped in surprise. Her rounded cheeks sported a deep blush.

"I, um, saw," she muttered before slipping away and disappearing around a corner.

Burke struggled to not start heartily guffawing at her reaction. For a girl who was no stranger to sharing her bed with another, she was surprisingly easy to embarrass.

Eventually Nicole's head appeared from around the corner and she had an astounded look on her face.

"I have a bath?"

"Yes."

"I have a bath," she repeated breathily before a wide smile broke over her face and she dashed back into the bathroom.

"I have a bath!" she cheered and marvelled over the clean, white porcelain.

Burke casually leaned in the doorway and watched her circle the bath and run her hand over the rounded lip of the claw footed tub.

"All the penthouse suites have a radiation-free water source. We also have the luxury of both cold and hot water on tap."

Nicole's finger ran along the spout of the chromed taps and she licked her lips. It had been so long since she had been able to bathe properly that the thought of plunging herself into a scalding bath seemed an indulgent, erotic fantasy.

"Of course," he lazily drawled, "you realize all of this could have been yours long ago?"

Nicole tore her eyes away from the gleaming faucet and looked at Burke, "Perhaps, but at what cost?"

"Not as great a cost as you seem to think," he retorted.

Her lips pursed together and she shook her head, "You're wrong, Burke."

"I'm not here to argue about moral quandaries," he waved dismissively and moved towards her, again invading her personal space. "So are you satisfied with your accommodations?"

Nicole took a step back and nodded, "They're even better than Vault 101."

"Excellent," he said and closed the gap between them again. "Oh, there's just one more thing before I leave you to settle in, Nicole..."

Burke's hand struck like lightning and quickly reached out to firmly grab her jaw and pull her near.

Nicole had not been expecting this and she let out a yelp of surprise and pain

"Ow... let me go!" she whined while struggling to free herself from his surprisingly strong grip.

Burke smiled, enjoying the power he held over her and the fear he saw in her eyes.

Leaning down he whispered in her ear, "Now that you are under my employment, there is something that you must understand. I will not tolerate these ongoing power struggles. You work for me now, and as such I expect you to behave accordingly. If you even dare consider trying another stunt like you did yesterday or even put as much as a toe out of line, I can assure you that you will regret it. Do I make myself abundantly clear?"

"C-crystal," Nicole stuttered. A single tear streaked through the grime on her cheek.

Still holding onto her jaw, he moved back, gave her an insufferable grin and rumbled, "Excellent," before releasing her.

Nicole quickly took two steps back and pressed against a wall, her armour made a hollow clang as she did.

Burke turned away from her and paused long enough to look in a mirror so he could adjust his tie and straighten his hat.

"Tomorrow we will 'talk shop' as it were and decide on a strategy. Can you please try not to get yourself so drunk tonight that you will be of no use tomorrow?"

Warily she watched Burke and rubbed her jaw. She was too frightened to move and her breath came in ragged gasps. Nicole blinked the tears from her eyes and squeaked, "Yes."

"I'm sorry?" he turned and frowned at her.

"Yes... sir," her voice was barely a whisper.

"Good girl," he smiled smugly and then strode out of the suite, leaving her key on a shelf and shut the door behind him as he left.

Shocked and stunned by the sudden turn of events, Nicole slowly sank to the floor and started to tremble.

"_Oh God..." _she thought grimly, _"what have I gotten myself into now?"

* * *

_

**AN: Sorry for the short chapter, but no matter how I tried, anything I added after Burke's power play just sounded weak. I figured it was better to go out with a bang than a whimper so I ended it there. I also would like to say another thank you to all my readers, reviewers and followers. You all don't know how good it does me to know that people are enjoying what I've written, so thank you very much!**


	5. Chapter 5

_Nicole hesitated before opening the door that led into Project Purity. It had been so long since she'd been here, and for good reason. The place was full of painful memories that she didn't like to face at the best of times. Something, though, was urging her on and she finally walked inside. _

_As soon as she did she knew all was not right. There were Enclave soldiers everywhere. Instantly, she ducked behind some crates and took out her plasma rifle, prepared to fight to the death if need be, but the attack never came. Instead, they seemed to ignore her and went about their business._

_Once she had become convinced that there was no danger, she emerged from her hiding place. The need to get to the control room was nearly unbearable and she plotted a slow course through the halls. When she passed a group of Enclave soldiers she was shocked that they came to attention. Some even went as far as saluting her, which instead of settling her nerves, seemed to put her more on edge._

_Nicole blinked, and she suddenly found herself in the control room although she couldn't remember how she'd gotten here._

"_You should be proud of yourself," Colonel Augustus Autumn said in his southern drawl. _

_Nicole jumped. She was certain that he had not been there when she had arrived._

_He continued, "Without your valiant efforts and selfless act, the Enclave would have never been able to accomplish their goals."_

"_Thank you. You're welcome," Nicole muttered, uncertain of what the good Colonel had just praised her for, although a distant part of her knew she should be horrified at what he'd said._

"_See? You've done well, Nicole," he said and directed her attention to the great chamber of the water purifier._

_Nicole gasped. In its clear, swirling waters were numerous bodies. She saw wastelanders, super mutants, Talon mercs, and raiders. What upset her most, however, was when she began to pick out the bodies of friends and family. Their pale faces would loom large against the wall of the tank and then drift away as the current sent them tumbling through the whirlpool._

_Terror filled her as she watched the water in the chamber go from clear, to pink and finally a rich crimson._

"_Oh God... what have I done?" Nicole wailed as she sank to her knees and cried for all the lives that had been lost and for all those that she had taken._

"_Don't pretend that you're actually sorry for what you've done. Guilt doesn't suit you."_

_Nicole looked up to find that Colonel Autumn had been replaced by Burke. She dumbly mouthed something to him, but what, she didn't know._

_Crouching down beside her, he whispered in her ear, "Besides, I didn't tell you that you could feel guilty."_

_Before she had a chance to reply, the sound of metal being rent grabbed her attention and she looked up to watch as the great tank of the purifier fell apart. The room became a torrential river of blood and bodies that Nicole was unable to free herself from. Flailing and grabbing for anything that might save her, Nicole was eventually dragged under by the unrelenting current._

"Leo!" Nicole cried as she woke with a start and frantically reached for him, but realization hit her like a sucker punch to the stomach. He was not here, but miles away in Megaton and she was very much alone.

Giving into the self-pity that had been nibbling on her heart since yesterday's events, Nicole curled up and finally let the tears she'd been holding back for so long flow freely. They burned her cheeks as they fell and wet her pillow. What she wouldn't give right now to be back in Megaton, safely tucked away in her house there and curled up against Leo.

She'd made her choice, though, and there was no changing how things were for the moment. Nicole let out a strangled laugh; Lucas Simms had been right after all. She obviously wasn't smart enough to keep Burke in check.

Yesterday, after Burke's little stunt, Nicole sat on the floor of her nice, shiny bathroom for ages. Her eyes darted around the room, both seeing but unseeing everything and it felt like she was in the middle of a surreal dream that she couldn't wake up from. All around her were the vestiges of a world that went up in flames 200 years ago but just outside the front doors of Tenpenny Tower were the results of that holocaust. Somehow this small slice of what others would call heaven had remained intact, for the most part. For a girl who had lived out in the dusty, gritty wasteland for two years, the cleanliness of her new home seemed wrong and out of place.

Eventually the stunned confusion gave way to the more familiar angry self-loathing that she often felt and she berated herself for allowing Burke to toy with her. Now that she had a moment to gather her wits about her, it was plain to see that Burke had done nothing but test her the whole time with little prods into her psyche to see what her weak spots might be. Nicole cursed under her breath when she thought about how much information he had garnered in a few minute's time.

To make matters worse, there had been the humiliation of being scolded like a child. That, above all else, worried Nicole most. She had let his suave behaviour lull her into complacency so when he did strike and made his power play, she had been stunned into submission, and, even more shamefully, tears. Now he knew that he could intimidate her, he no doubt would use it to his advantage.

Nicole hated that she hadn't turned the tables on him and clawed out his eyes or put her power armoured knee to good use. That would have wiped the smug look of superiority off his face and brought more than a few tears to his eyes.

After feeling sorry for herself a bit longer (and wishing she had a bottle of scotch to hand), Nicole decided that dwelling on it wasn't going to change anything, so she dragged herself from her bed and went to the bathroom.

Turning the light on, Nicole caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror and sighed. She looked so different to how she remembered. Once upon a time her face had been round and full. Butch used to tease her and call her chipmunk cheeks, but now they were hollow and gave her a gaunt look. Although she was only 21, she could see the beginnings of frown lines and crow's feet. Her complexion used to be fair and clear but now she was tanned with a smattering of freckles over her nose and cheeks from the number of times she had been sunburned since leaving Vault 101.

Picking up a hairbrush, Nicole ran it through her shoulder length hair and remembered how it used to be before she lost it all because of the radiation. It had been nearly waist length, thick, wavy and a rich chestnut brown. She never was a vain person, but her hair had been the one feature that she was proud of. After being irradiated and woke from her two week coma, she found clumps of it in the bed. It made her weep bitterly. For some reason, the loss of her hair felt as if the last tenuous link to who she had been before her life had gone to hell had been severed.

It had taken two years to get it to the length it was now and while it was still wavy and chestnut brown, it was nowhere near as thick as it used to be. Also the sun had bleached it and left burnished golden strands through it that caught the light, which she quite liked.

After washing her face, Nicole wandered over to the wardrobe and started to look through the dresses inside it. Nicole could never remember a time in her life that she had worn a dress. For the first 19 years of her life she had worn a Vault jumpsuit. After that, she'd learned that armour was your friend in the wastes and the heavier the better, so she was almost always in her Tesla armour when she ventured out of Megaton. When at home, she favoured comfortable yet functional clothes that were similar to what she'd seen many mercenaries wearing, which was fitting, since she wasn't much more than a mercenary herself.

So, it was understandable that when she slipped on the pink dress that she disliked slightly less than the others, Nicole felt oddly exposed. The fabric was lightweight, her arms were bare and her legs were as well. If anyone decided to shoot her while wearing such an outfit, she knew she wouldn't have a chance in hell of surviving. Her hands smoothed the skirt and she frowned at the way the crinoline beneath scratched at her legs, although she did like the way that it made the skirt flare. A small smile spread over her face when she did a little turn and made the skirt lift up.

Nicole checked her Pip-Boy and saw that it was nearly 5:00 AM and sighed. After her little confrontation with Burke the day before, she had remained in her room, napping, getting familiar with her new surroundings and generally doing her best to avoid the man. Now she was fed up of being stuck in the same room and was starting to feel stir crazy. The minutes ticked by painfully and finally, enough was enough.

Slinging her plasma rifle over her shoulder and grabbing her scoped .44 Magnum, Nicole decided that it was time for Tenpenny Tower's wake up call.

~*~*~*~

"Mister Burke?" Gustavo called as he knocked on the door to the suite. He wasn't looking forward to the reaction that he was going to get for waking his employer up so early, but it had to be done.

He waited and when there was no answer, he knocked again with more force, but ended up trying to knock thin air when the door was jerked open. Mister Burke's eyes, although still bleary from being rudely woken from a deep sleep, glared at the security chief.

"Gustavo, it's five in the morning. Why the hell are you knocking on my door?" Burke snarled. He was not a morning person in the least and he certainly did not appreciate such an early morning wake up call.

Gustavo bit down on the sharp reply that had instantly sprung to his lips. Instead he said, "There's a situation outside."

Burke could faintly hear gunshots, but they were spaced out and regular instead of the frenzied sounds of a firefight. For all he knew it was some drunken raider or wastelander who had nothing better to do than cause trouble.

"So deal with it! It's what you're paid to do!" Burke's eyes narrowed, "Or have you lost your nerve? If so I'm sure I could easily have you replaced."

"I've been dealing with it for nearly half an hour," Gustavo said through gritted teeth. "It's that damned girl! She decided that it was a lovely morning for target practice and now I've got nearly all the other residents breathing down my neck about it!"

Burke paused for a moment then shook his head and laughed, "You and your men can't deal with one pathetic girl?"

"She said that she answers to you alone and that you told her that it was alright."

"Oh, did she now?" Burke gave Gustavo an incredulous look and asked sharply, "And you actually believed her?"

Gustavo shrugged, "I knew that she'd come here because of some business she had with you. For all I knew, she was telling me the truth."

Burke listened as another few rounds were fired and sighed; a part of him wished that he'd never brought her here. She had said herself that she was not Tenpenny Tower material and she had been right. Two years in the wastes had obviously made her abandon any manners that her father might have instilled in her.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, another thought came to Burke. This was probably her way of punishing him for yesterday. No doubt once the fear had dissipated she was more than a little resentful over how she had allowed herself to be put into a corner and this was how she was getting revenge. All she was managing to do was make everyone angry at her, though.

Wearily he said, "Very well, I'll be down shortly."

"What do you want us to do with her in the meantime?"

Burke paused and raised an eyebrow, "It appears to me that you've done nothing so far, so continue to do so."

Before Gustavo could answer back, Burke shut the door in his face.

Left scowling at the door, Gustavo sarcastically said, "Yes, sir."

~*~*~*~

Nicole looked down the scope of her .44 Magnum, aimed in between the eyes of the practice dummy, braced herself and smoothly pulled the trigger. The recoil jarred her arms and made her hands and wrists ache for a few moments. She didn't mind though; it reminded her that she was in the real world and not the nightmare world that she had woken up from a short while ago.

She opened the chamber, reloaded and with a flick of her wrist, it smoothly clicked back into place. Again, she took aim and fired.

When she had come downstairs and started her target practice, the guards all tried to get her to stop, but she had ignored them. It was surprising how quickly they backed off when she told them that Burke was her boss and that she answered only to him. She couldn't help but laugh when they all went scurrying away after that.

Burke had quickly dressed and went out into the courtyard. Following the sound of the gunfire around the corner of the building, he saw Nicole using the makeshift firing range. The sight of her made him stop and tilt his head in fascination.

Every time he had seen her, she had been wearing something ill-fitting or baggy. To his great surprise, Nicole was wearing one of the dresses that he had bought for her. His eyes roamed over her frame, taking in the sight of her and a slow smirk played on his lips. The harsh living conditions of the Wasteland meant that women were often emaciated, but to his most pleasant surprise, Nicole had managed to retain her curves.

He watched as she raised her arms and aimed for the target again and saw her lightly defined muscles ripple beneath her skin. No doubt lugging weaponry, supplies and wearing heavy armour had developed them, giving her more strength than one might think.

It was an odd juxtaposition between the utterly feminine figure she cut and the high powered weapon she was wielding. Something about it appealed to him greatly.

"You know, Nova always says that looking is free, anything else is extra," Nicole said over her shoulder before squeezing off another round. She quickly quashed the voice in her mind that kept insisting that she had already been bought like some cheap whore.

Burke raised an eyebrow, "How did you know I was here?"

"You're the only man in the Wasteland who wears cologne and I'm downwind from you."

Burke chuckled and approached her, "Clever girl."

Nicole stiffened. She didn't want him anywhere near her after yesterday. Her eyes flicked towards him and she put two steps between them before taking aim and firing her gun again.

"Your sight needs adjusting," he yawned. It was far too early for his liking.

She scowled, "No, it doesn't."

"Yes, it does. You're standing skewed to the left to make up for the inaccuracy."

Nicole gritted her teeth, "I have an idea. Why don't you go down there, I'll fire a shot and you can take a closer look?"

Burke laughed, "Thank you, but no."

"Pity," she mumbled.

"You do know that your acerbic wit is going to land you in trouble one of these days?" he asked and gave her an amused smile.

She glanced at him again to make sure he hadn't moved closer and asked, "I thought you said you liked the banter?"

"Oh, I do, but there's a fine line between banter and wilfulness."

Without warning, he grabbed her hips and made her squeal with anger, "Damn it Burke! Get off me!"

He ignored her complaints (and the sudden attention from several of the security guards) and forced her to stand square to the target. His hands then rested on her shoulders and slightly turned them so they were straight with her hips, but once he was done moving her he didn't bother removing his hands.

"Burke..." she warned.

"Fire," he commanded.

She did as told and then shrugged his hands off her shoulders.

"See," he pointed, "it veered to the right. Let me look at your gun." He held his hand out.

For one frenzied moment, Nicole considered putting a slug in him. She was getting tired of him feeling that he had the right to manhandle her as he saw fit.

It must have been written on her face because Burke smiled at her and said, "Don't get any ideas, my dear girl. The guards would come down on you like a ton of bricks. Besides, I paid enough caps for that dress as it was and I'd hate to see it full of holes and bloodstained."

"Never mind that I'd be, oh, a little bit dead," she sniped.

Burke's hand covered his heart, "Nicole, you wound me. Are you saying that I don't truly care for your wellbeing?"

"You're an arse," she rolled her eyes.

He looked at her dully and said, "You keep saying. Perhaps if you stop pickling your brain with alcohol you'll be able to think of a more witty insult."

Nicole grunted and shoved the gun into his hand. She didn't want to admit that he had a point. The knowledge that she agreed with him would only make his already inflated ego even larger.

He closely inspected it and said, "Ah, here, see? The fixing point for the scope is slightly bent."

She leaned in close to have a look, "Damn it. Can it be fixed?"

Burke couldn't help but notice the faint smell of soap coming from her. It was infinitely more pleasant than how she had smelled the day before.

Shaking his head he said, "Most likely not, unless you can find another scoped .44. They are rare though."

"Tell me about it." She frowned and took the gun from him and vainly tried to straighten the scope.

"I don't know why you want to use such a weapon. It's far too big for you. From the way you tensed when you fired I could tell that the recoil is a problem. It hurts your hands and wrists, doesn't it?"

She scowled, "Maybe?"

"Here," he handed over his silenced 10mm. "Try this."

She took his gun and looked it over before saying, "I hate 10mm's. They don't pack enough punch and silenced ones are even weaker."

It was no doubt meant to be a jab, but he dismissed it and said, "Indeed, but what difference does that make? If you're quiet enough you can sneak up on your enemy and finish them off with one round. Besides, what good is a gun with punch if it's only going to succeed in knocking you on your rather lovely ass?" he smiled, his eyes glittering with delight behind his sunglasses.

Nicole jutted her hip out and crossed her arms over her chest before groaning, "Burke, you're nothing but a lecherous old man."

He laughed, "Not at all. I just find your reactions rather amusing."

Nicole sighed. She couldn't help that her cheeks coloured up so easily. It was just how she was and had been ever since she was a little girl. Her father had often caught her in a lie because she would turn bright red.

She shrugged and steered Burke away from the subject of her backside, "Well, no matter, I'll stick with my .44."

"Don't be ridiculous, the sight is worthless. True, the gun still works, but if you miss your mark it can be messy. An inch can mean the difference between a clean kill and a prolonged death."

She looked at him, a fearsome glint in her eyes, "Maybe some of these bastards deserve to suffer."

Burke smiled knowingly and raised an eyebrow, "Why Nicole, I never imagined you to be the sadistic type! I find that rather... enticing."

She snorted, "I'm sure the masochist in you is thrilled."

He chuckled darkly and purred, "I can assure you that there is not a masochistic bone in my body, Nicole."

Nicole looked away, blushed and murmured, "Damn it."

"One shot kills are preferable, Nicole. Being swift and decisive doesn't allow your enemy a chance to mount a counter attack."

"Burke, I've been out there long enough to know that," she said impatiently and brushed her hair away from her face.

He ignored her and continued, "Either head shots," he gently tapped her forehead with his finger, "or the heart." He rested his fingers over her heart. It was racing within her chest and he could feel its steady thrum.

Nicole's breath caught and she swatted his hand away. For a moment, something flashed in her eyes, but it was fleeting and Burke only caught a glimpse of it before she managed to get herself in check.

"Here," she handed his gun back.

Burke returned it to his side and said, "You've rather upset Gustavo and the other residents, you know? Why are you out here at this ungodly hour?"

"This, Burke," she picked up the plasma rifle and aimed it at the target, "is what happens when I don't 'pickle my brain with alcohol'." She squeezed the trigger and fired the rifle. "I have nightmares and then I can't sleep."

"I know," he idly said.

Nicole bristled and silently cursed Leo.

"Heh, and guess what?" Nicole gave him a slightly crazy look, "You were there too, Aunty Em!"

Burke sneered, "How very droll, Nicole." His lips pulled back into a leer that revealed his teeth, "Besides, surely it wasn't a nightmare if I was there?"

Nicole rolled her eyes, "Trust me, it was a nightmare. Unless you think drowning in blood is fun?"

"Er, no, I don't." He watched as she bowed her head over her plasma rifle and made some adjustments. There was a part of him that wanted to know what she had dreamed of, what she found so terrifying, but he knew that wouldn't be wise. The last thing he needed was to become attached or fond of her. It could make things rather messy further down the line.

"Come along, Nicole," Burke said and started to walk back towards the courtyard. "We have other matters to discuss."

Nicole watched him for a moment before saying, "I'm not a dog."

Burke wheeled around, "I'm sorry?"

Nicole shouldered her rifle and went to him, "I said I'm not a dog. 'Come along, Nicole'," she mocked.

Burke stared at her for a moment, "I see." Giving her another of his trademark insufferable smirks he exclaimed dramatically, "Oh Queen of the Wastes! Would you honour your humble servant and accompany me to my suite so that I might bask in your presence?"

Nicole tried to give him a withering look, but failed. Instead she settled for biting her bottom lip to keep from smiling and laughing.

"Burke?"

"Yes, your highness?" he teased.

"You're being an arse again."

"Indeed," he laughed and put his hand in the small of her back to propel her forward. Instead of acting like a frightened wild animal and skittering away, Burke was pleased that she didn't evade his touch this time.

At least that was until one of the guards made a wolf whistle.

Nicole glared at the guard and then walked ahead of Burke, putting at least three feet between them before disappearing through the doors into Tenpenny Tower.

Burke gave the guard his own disapproving look before following Nicole. He appreciatively watched the skirt of her dress sway in time with her hips and sighed, "Ah well, at least the view is enjoyable."

She glared over her shoulder, "I really do hate you."

Burke merely smirked and thought, _"No you don't."_

~*~*~*~

"Get yer sorry arse outta my saloon, ya gobshite!"

Colin Moriarty's thick Irish brogue broke through the relative peace of the day as he frog-marched Leo Stahl out the door and shoved him down to the rough metal walkway. A few Megaton residents quickly scattered, not wanting to get caught up in one of Colin's rages.

Colin was irate that yet again Leo had come in higher than the clouds and had proceeded to harass Nova. She had outright told him over and over that unless he had the caps, she wasn't about to move. Eventually the situation degraded further when Leo blatantly groped Nova. The prostitute let out an outraged squeal and hauled off and slapped him.

That had been Colin's cue to step in and sort Leo out once and for all.

"Fucking Mick!" Leo spat the slur at Colin, then, full of indignant rage and chems, he jumped to his feet and charged for Moriarty.

"Oh I won't be believin' this," Moriarty muttered and prepared for Leo's attack.

For his 52 years, Moriarty proved to be spryer than Leo had anticipated and blithely danced out of the way. Leo grunted quizzically and turned only to be confronted by a vicious punch that sent him sprawling onto his back.

As Colin stalked towards Leo he growled, "You try it on with Nova again without payin' and you'll see what you get! As a matter o' fact, I have a good mind ta show ya anyway!"

Leo sat nursing his bleeding nose and glared up at Moriarty, "Blow it out your ass!"

"So that's how ya want it then?" Moriarty shook his left hand and clenched it. He was going to show this impudent pup a thing or two, teach him the lesson he needed.

The sound of gunfire made both men jump and look in the direction it came from. Lucas Simms stood there, calm as calm could be, but his Chinese assault rifle was now trained on the two men.

"Moriarty, get your crazy Irish ass back inside."

"Aw, feck off Simms. This ain't nothin' to do wit' you. This here is between me 'n Leo." He flashed Leo a feral smile, "Ain't that right lad?"

Leo balefully glanced at Moriarty but said nothing.

"Wrong Colin. You two picking a fight in the street makes it my business. Now do as I said or I'll detain you both. Understand?"

Colin's eyes narrowed at Simms and he began to retreat into the smoky haze of the saloon when he wheeled around again and pointed at Leo.

"You best keep him outta my sight fer a while or else Megaton'll be down one junkie!"

Simms finger moved to the trigger of his gun. If the Irishman wanted a fight, he'd give him one.

"I don't take death threats lightly, Colin."

"Bah," Moriarty snarled and disappeared into the saloon, grumbling about how he and not Simms ran Megaton, and slammed the door behind him.

Once satisfied that Moriarty wasn't about to emerge from the saloon door blasting away with the sawed-off shotgun he hid away under the bar, Lucas strode over to Leo, grabbed him by the arm and jerked him to his feet.

"Goddamn it boy! You ain't got the sense God gave a goose. You know you don't go tweaking Colin's nose!"

Leo chuckled, "Yeah, the bastard's got a mean left hook."

Simms clipped him around the ear and shoved him in the direction of the nearest walkway that would lead them to the Brass Lantern.

"Hey!" Leo yelped and started to rub his ear. "Moriarty's just pissed off because Nova was going to give me a freebie."

Simms teeth ground together and he shoved Leo forward, "Yeah, sure she was." It was no secret that Nova never turned a trick for free because if Colin found out about it, he would come down on her with all the wrath of an angry god. "You're never going to learn, are you?"

"What do you mean?" Leo asked while swiping the last of the blood that was trickling from his nose on the back of his hand.

"That's, what, the fourth time in the past two weeks that you've caused a ruckus around here? You need to get your head screwed on straight or else I'm going to be forced to kick your ass out of Megaton. Or shoot you. Which'd be a shame 'cause you're not worth wasting the bullets on."

Leo slowed down a bit and Lucas gave him another shove to keep him moving.

"You wouldn't do that, right?" Leo asked warily.

"Keep it up and you'll find out. Look," Simms looked around and lowered his voice, "I know you've been dealt a blow lately, but it's no reason to go off the deep end, you know?"

Leo tried to act nonchalant and slowed to an amble, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't give me that Brahmin shit," Lucas murmured and shoved him again to get him moving faster. "Nicole. She's gone and no doubt your behaviour played a big part in that."

Leo bristled, "So? I don't care why she left. She's a big girl and if she thinks she can do better, then she's welcome to it."

Simms shook his head and scowled, "I'll be damned if I know what she ever saw in you. She must have been a damned fool, had the patience of a saint or was a glutton for punishment. That girl tried to get you on the straight and narrow and from what I could see all you did was throw it back in her face over and over." Simms stopped outside the Brass Lantern and nodded to Jenny Stahl who was glaring at Leo. "So, yeah, if she could do better than you, more power to her. You need to man up Leo."

Leo's fists were clenched. He'd just about had his fill of people telling him what he should and shouldn't do. Maybe Simms' scolding was the straw that broke the camel's back, or maybe it was just a really bad case of stupid that was fuelled by Psycho and Jet, but Leo lunged for Lucas.

Jenny gasped and shouted, "Andy! Get out here!"

"You sonofa-" Lucas was cut off when Leo's shoulder collided with his chest and knocked him off balance.

Andy Stahl ran out of the Brass Lantern in time to see the tussle between the seasoned Regulator and his junkie brother. He scrubbed a hand over his face and muttered, "For fuck's sake."

Jenny was horrified and was frozen to where she stood, watching helplessly.

For a moment, Leo had the advantage because he had surprised Simms, but it didn't last long. Simms had been in a few too many close quarter fights in his time. A couple of well placed punches dazed Leo enough to allow Simms time to put some distance between them. When Leo's head cleared enough and he came for Simms again, the sheriff-come-mayor was ready.

Swinging the stock of his assault rifle up sharply, Simms caught Leo under his chin and knocked him to the ground.

Leo grunted, pain blossoming through his jaw and head. For a moment, everything seemed to spin but that was replaced by darkness.

"Leo!" Jenny exclaimed and she knelt beside him.

"Jenny, you've got to do something about him. He's getting out of hand now," Simms said and wiped a bit of blood from the corner of his mouth.

Jenny nodded, "I know Lucas, but I don't know what to do."

"I'll tell you what I told him. Either he gets straightened out or he's going to have to leave Megaton."

Jenny's head snapped up and she gaped for a moment before exclaiming, "Lucas! You know he wouldn't last more than a few minutes out there on his own!"

"That's why I don't want to have to do it, but if he keeps it up, I won't have a choice. Besides, it'll either be that or Moriarty'll end up shooting him. So which do you want?"

Jenny snorted, "Ravaged by wild animals or shot down like one. What a choice." Her shoulders sagged for a moment and she said, "I'll have a word with him when he wakes up. I promise."

Simms frowned. He knew that talking wasn't going to get Leo to stop his self-destructive behaviours, but he knew that Jenny would try her best.

"Just see that you do." Simms nodded farewell to both Jenny and Andy and went about his business.

"C'mon Leo, wake up," Jenny stroked her big brother's cheek, trying to get him to wake up, but got nowhere.

"Andy, help me get him inside, please?" she gave Andy a pleading look.

Andy stayed where he was and shook his head, "No, Jenny. The bastard can stay out here for all I care."

"Andy!"

"Jenny, he deserves all he gets. I'm fed up with him."

For years, Leo had held it over both Andy's and Jenny's head how he'd been lumbered with raising his siblings and how difficult it had been. For a while, Andy really did feel sorry for his older brother, but as the years had gone by and they got older, Andy had come to resent Leo. That loathing only deepened once Leo had become a Jet addict.

Jenny glared at Andy, "You know what he's been through."

Andy made a derisive sound, "Jenny, stop fooling yourself. We've all been through hell! What gives Leo the right to run away from his problems instead of facing them like the rest of us, huh?"

Jenny shook her head. Andy had a point, though. It wasn't fair that night after night Leo buried his head in the sand. She was angry at him for it, but she feared what was going to happen to him. One of these days he would kill himself if something didn't change. She really had hoped that Nicole would have been able to help him, but in spite of her best efforts, nothing had changed and now she'd run off and abandoned Leo.

"Please Andy," she begged.

Andy huffed, got a pitcher of water, walked over and dumped it on Leo.

"Andy! Damn it!" she shrieked.

"I'm not going to argue with you about it, Jenny. I've got work to do." Andy disappeared back inside the Brass Lantern.

"Wha?" Leo came around a blinked at Jenny. "Aw, Christ... my head. What the hell happened?"

"Come on, let's get you to bed," Jenny sighed and helped him to his feet. "You had a bit of a run in with Moriarty and Lucas."

"And why am I all wet?"

"That was Andy's doing," she growled while guiding him inside and to his bed.

Leo wanted to protest that it was the middle of the day and that he didn't need to sleep, but the blazing headache he had was going to make him useless. He pulled off his wet shirt and threw it on a chair and then lay down.

"Andy and I will take care of everything today, okay?"

"Ok," he mumbled.

Jenny watched him for a moment, sighed and turned to leave.

"Thanks Jenny," he said drowsily.

"You're welcome, Leo."

She shuffled out of the room, bit her lip for a moment and then softly said, "I love you big brother."

Quietly, Jenny cried, cursing how unfair life had been for them all, especially Leo.

~*~*~*~

Burke and Nicole had retreated to his balcony yet again and presently Nicole was demurely sitting with one leg tucked beneath her, nibbling some mutfruit and listening to Burke's plan with mild interest. He was determined they should go to the Vault-Tec headquarters that was located somewhere in the ruins of Washington DC. It seemed very straightforward, but Nicole only had a vague idea of where it might be located.

"Well?" he pressed when she hadn't said anything for a while.

She wiped a dribble of mutfruit juice from her chin and shook her head, "No."

Burke stared at her, dumbfounded. She was actually daring to defy him?

Frowning at her, he repeated her, "No?"

"No," she leaned her head back to enjoy the midday sun on her face and smiled a little smile. A slight breeze helped to make the stifling day bearable and it lifted her hair off her brow. If Burke would be quiet and leave her alone, she felt that she could quite happily drift off to sleep.

Burke's voice cut through her drowsiness.

"Do you care to elaborate?" he asked testily, growing more than a little weary of her disinterest.

Nicole closed her eyes, "Of course. While going straight to Vault-Tec's headquarters isn't a bad idea, we might be better off going to a Vault first."

"From what you told me before, you found no information at any of the other Vaults about where a G.E.C.K. might be."

"Yes, that's true, but most of those Vaults had suffered catastrophic failures and weren't in the best of conditions. Ever heard of Vault 112?" she turned her head slightly and opened an eye. The deep scowl on Burke's face showed that he was more than a little perturbed by her coyness.

Nicole felt rather pleased about it, too. For once she felt that she was in control of the situation and not Burke.

"No, and at the rate you're going, I'll be long dead before you get around to telling me."

Nicole laughed to see that he was almost pouting. Leaning her head back again she said in a sing-song voice, "Patience is a virtue."

"Patience is perhaps the one virtue I do possess. You are testing it beyond its limits."

There was a dangerous tone in his voice that caused Nicole to open her eyes and look at him. Burke had taken off his sunglasses and was openly glaring at her.

Nicole sat up, "Fine. Have you ever heard of a Dr. Stanislaus Braun?"

"No, I haven't," he said while putting his glasses back on. He really wished she would get to the point.

"Dr. Braun was the man who created the G.E.C.K. He was also the Overseer of Vault 112."

Burke looked unimpressed, "How is this supposed to help us? This Dr. Braun has been dead for nearly two centuries."

Nicole shook her head, "No, he hasn't. You see, Vault 112's purpose was to run a virtual reality programme. Don't ask me all the ins and outs of it, but somehow they found a way to put the residents in a suspended animation and so the original inhabitants are still there, including Dr. Braun."

"And how do you know all this?"

"My dad went there to try and find some of Dr. Braun's research and I went after him." Nicole scratched at a flaking patch of lacquer on the arm of the chair, "Heh, when he got trapped in the simulation, Dr. Braun turned him into a dog. Anyway," she waved dismissively, "perhaps some of Dr. Braun's notes are still there? I think it would be good if we had some idea of what we're dealing with. Also, considering Braun's position within Vault-Tec, it would stand to reason that information on the location of other Vaults, and possibly a G.E.C.K., might be on his personal terminal."

"Where is Vault 112 located?" he asked.

Nicole squinted off into the distance and made a tutting sound while she thought, "It's about five or six mile northwest of here, hidden beneath an old service station."

Burke folded his hands in his lap and thought about what she had said. If she was right, it would mean that they wouldn't have to risk going through the DC Ruins. Burke wasn't afraid of a fight, but facing hordes of Super Mutants certainly didn't appeal.

"Very well, Nicole. Vault 112 shall be our starting point. We'll leave tomorrow morning."

Nicole nodded, "Alright..." Her head jerked in his direction and she stammered, "Wait, what? We?"

Burke raised an eyebrow at her, "Yes. We."

"Oh no. No, no, no," her head shook vehemently. "I told you back in Megaton that I preferred to work on my own. You'll just get in my way."

"Do you have so little faith in my abilities? I haven't lived as long as I have by being unable to take care of myself in a tight spot."

"I've always found that followers tend to do things like charge the enemy when I'd rather try and sneak up on them. Many underestimate the element of surprise."

Burke gave her a reproachful look, "Nicole, honestly, can you see me doing such a foolish thing?"

If Nicole had learned anything about the man it was that he always did things under the radar so not to draw attention to his nefarious schemes. Why should he handle anything else he might encounter any differently?

"Heh, you've got a point." Again she looked off into the distance and let out a deep sigh, "Alright. We'll go together, but I swear if you get in the way and I shoot you, I won't feel the least amount of guilt over it."

"Oh, I'm sure you'd feel quite pleased over it, no doubt," he let out a low chuckle.

"Well..." Nicole gave him a sly look and said timidly, "I didn't say that either, now did I?"

"Huh," Burke chuffed, not quite believing what he was hearing. Dismissing it with a shake of his head, he stood and went into his suite. When he reappeared he was carrying a bottle of whiskey and two glasses, "Now that we've finished that, how about we celebrate with a drink?"

Nicole glanced at the bottle and smiled up at him, "I do believe that is the best idea you've had yet."

He poured the drinks and handed one to Nicole then raised his glass to her, "Here's to new friends and allies."

Nicole laughed and shook her head, "Don't get ahead of yourself Burke."

"Come, come Nicole. Don't be cruel," Burke tried to sound forlorn, but his smile gave him away.

Nicole snickered and said, "I still hate you and think you're an arse and I will do until the day you die."

Her eyes shone mischievously as she took a sip of her drink.

As Burke looked over the rim of his glass at Nicole, he could see that her cheeks were flushed yet again.

He smirked and rumbled, "Of course you do, my dear girl. Of course you do."


	6. Chapter 6

Early morning light streamed in through the open balcony doors and filled Burke's suite with a golden light that gradually stretched across the floor until it landed on Burke. The brightness woke him, but he didn't open his eyes. Even with them closed it felt like someone had shoved daggers into them and it made him grumble miserably. His stomach felt as if it were doing slow summersaults and he was sure that there were a thousand Enclave troops marching to and fro through his head at this very moment, making his head pound with each step they took.

Blinking against the glaring light, Burke finally began to remember snippets of the previous day, but none of it formed a cohesive picture of what had transpired. He could remember that after he and Nicole had decided on their course of action, they had celebrated with a drink.

Or two...

Or three...

After that, everything became very vague. He could remember laughing, and even a bit of arguing, but over what specifically, he couldn't recall.

The one thing he could remember was Nicole refilling his glass over and over in spite of his protestations. Her accusations of him being a lightweight must have pushed the appropriate button or else he wouldn't feel like death warmed over right now.

He groaned and sat up to send empty wine bottles crashing to the floor and cursed. Why had he let that damnable woman convince him to keep drinking? He'd never been one for such indulgences before, and he was now paying the price by way of a hangover. He was still a young man the last time he'd been this inebriated. No doubt Nicole had become accustomed to the harsh homebrews of the Wastes and was much more seasoned than he was. Burke could almost remember her light, chiding laughter and felt certain that she had taken great pleasure in drinking him under the table.

He slowly looked around, trying not to make his head spin anymore than it was already and saw that his jacket and tie had been neatly draped over the back of a chair and his sunglasses and hat had been carefully set on a table next to the sofa that he'd obviously spent the night on. Burke couldn't remember putting them there, but felt certain that he must have. Nicole didn't strike him as the fastidious type.

With a slow blink, realization dawned in his fuzzy brain.

He was on the sofa.

Why exactly he was on the sofa and not in his bed?

"Nicole?" he warily called, but there was no reply.

He passed a hand over the stubbled planes of his face and sighed. Whether it was a sigh of relief or a sigh of disappointment, he wasn't sure.

Checking his watch, he saw that it was 7:30 and again he cursed. He'd agreed to meet her in the courtyard at 7:00.

"Damned woman," he growled as he stumbled off to try and get ready for the day's adventure. At least he could take some comfort in the fact that she would probably be late as well and most likely in the same state as he was.

~*~*~*~

"Ugh," Leo groaned as he grabbed his shirt and pulled it on, not noticing that Jenny had washed it and left it folded neatly on the chair in the corner. He stumbled from his tiny room in the back of the Brass Lantern and squinted through the dim light.

Leo rubbed his eyes willing the lingering headache away and wondered why he could barely open his mouth. There seemed to be a distinct lack of knowledge as to why it would feel so sore and stiff, but he could be fairly certain that whatever had caused it wasn't good. Wishing the fog in his brain would clear he tried to remember what had happened and shook his head when the fight he'd had with Moriarty finally floated to the surface.

"Damn," he muttered and went to get a drink.

"Leo?" Jenny's tentative voice from across the room made him stop.

"Hey Jenny," he greeted then looked around. "Where's Andy?"

"He's, uh, out for the minute." It was the one thing she'd been thankful for. Andy was still fuming over Leo's behaviour the previous day and it had put him in a fouler mood than usual. The last thing she needed was for him to come charging in and attack Leo. Although she'd stepped in the middle of a few heated arguments before, if things got physical she would have little hope of intervening.

"Can we talk?" she asked and motioned for Leo to join her at her table in the corner.

Leo scowled. He knew what was coming and wasn't pleased about it, but it was Jenny and he'd always had a soft spot for his baby sister. Nodding, he shuffled over and sat in the chair opposite her, but kept staring at the scarred surface of the table instead of meeting her intense gaze.

"Leo, about yesterday..." she started hesitantly.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I shouldn't have tried it with Nova," he interjected.

Jenny looked taken aback and blinked, "Well, no, you shouldn't have, but I was going to say that you shouldn't have attacked Lucas."

"What?" Leo looked stunned for a moment and then laughed, "You're kidding me, right?"

Jenny shook her head gravely, "Yes, Leo, you went for Lucas. You can't remember?"

Leo said, "No." He passed a hand over his face, "Damn. That would explain the jaw then."

"Lucas said... well... Leo, you've got to stop all this. Lucas said if you don't... he'll kick you out of town," she said and grabbed for his hand.

What Jenny said rang distant bells in his head, "Yeah, I think he told me that, too, when he was bringing back here from Moriarty's."

"I don't want that to happen, Leo," she said, sounding panicky at the thought.

Leo finally looked up at her, "You think that's what I want?"

Jenny shook her head slowly, "No..."

"But?" Leo asked cautiously.

"But I think you can't help yourself anymore."

Leo pulled his hand away from Jenny's grasp and said through clenched teeth, "So you're going to start telling me what to do too, huh? First Nicole, then Simms and now you! Goddamn it! I can take care of myself!"

"Leo! Please listen! I don't want to tell you what to do, but you need to get sorted out. Look at you! You go out night after night and come back so hopped up on Jet that you might as well be on the damned moon!" Jenny's eyes filled with tears, "Leo, I don't want to lose you. Please, please think about what you're doing!"

Leo silently cursed his sister. If there was one thing that he'd never been able to stand, it was her tears. He held his head in his hands and sighed.

"God, I miss her," he barely whispered, hating himself for making the admission. Ever since Nicole had left, Leo had told anyone who would listen that he didn't care that she left. Truth of it was that he did care and it had been eating away at him.

Jenny was stunned by the reluctant confession and frowned. She was unsure of how she felt about Nicole now. The woman had hurt her brother more than anyone realized and Jenny hated that, but there was a part of her that understood why Nicole had to go.

Jenny shrugged and said, "Well, maybe she'll come back before too long?"

"Huh, you think so?" Leo gave his sister a pitiful look, "I don't think she will. She made it pretty clear that she was fed up with me."

"I don't want to play the Devil's advocate or anything, but maybe it wasn't you she was fed up with?" Jenny asked and bit her lip, waiting for the backlash from Leo.

It never came though. He just stared at the table, picked at the flaking Formica table top, and never said anything.

"Leo?" Jenny gently prodded.

"What?" he said sullenly.

"Just..." Jenny sighed and took his hand again, "try and stay out of trouble for now, okay? Please?"

Leo's eyes stayed fixed on the table, "Yeah, okay. I will."

The half-hearted way in which he said it worried Jenny, but there really was very little she could do. She patted his hand and squeezed it then stood up.

"Well, I guess we better get ready to open up for the day," she said brightly, but it sounded forced.

Leo nodded, "Yeah, we should."

Throughout the day, Jenny watched as Leo dazedly went about his work and her heart ached all the more for her brother. In the moments when there were no customers and Jenny had a few moments to herself, a small voice in the back of her mind would whisper to her that they weren't out of the woods yet.

It gave Jenny a chill. She really hoped that it was just good, old fashioned pessimism speaking and not some grim prophetic warning of things to come.

~*~*~*~

By the time Burke had finally made it outside to the courtyard, his hangover had subsided slightly. Although the Enclave were still traipsing through his head, the dizziness and queasiness he'd felt earlier had lessened. It was an improvement, but he was far from his normal self and he was in two minds whether to tell Nicole to go on without him until he saw her in the courtyard in her Tesla Armour.

She was near the gate speaking with Gustavo and looking over a 10mm gun. Something about the way she was smiling, tossing her hair and giggling irritated Burke, but why, he couldn't say exactly. He watched as she handed over a few caps for the new weapon and some rounds of ammo.

Gustavo noticed Burke approaching and leaned close to whisper something to Nicole. She responded with a nod of her head and a stifled giggle before playfully smacking Gustavo's shoulder.

Burke's eye twitched when he realized exactly what he was feeling.

"_Jealousy, Burke? Ah, yes, that's what that is. You're too old for such nonsense," _he chastised himself.

Nicole sauntered towards him with a feline smile on her lips and cheerily said, "Well, good morning Sleeping Beauty." Falling in step beside him, she elbowed him, "What time do you call this?"

Burke frowned at her, "You are far too chipper for your own good this morning."

"Mmm... You don't look like you feel terribly well this morning. You know..." she paused long enough to pick up her pack and her Gauss and plasma rifles, "if you're not feeling up to it, you could stay here."

Everything fell into place for Burke and he felt both irritated and mildly impressed.

"You clever little minx!" he exclaimed.

Nicole tilted her head and tried to look innocent, "Whatever do you mean?"

"You got me drunk on purpose last night so that I wouldn't go with you today!"

"Now you're being paranoid," Nicole laughed, but it sounded strained.

"Nicole..."

She shot him an angry glare, "Fine! Yes! I had hoped you would change your mind, but you seem determined. And why the hell are you wearing your suit? I told you to wear armour of some sort." Suddenly her whole demeanour changed and the little cat-like smile twitched on her lips again.

She husked, "Oh... That's right... Never mind."

Burke's fists rested on his hips and he scowled at her, "You're being cryptic. Stop. What are you talking about?"

Nicole took a step closer and straightened his tie, "You probably don't remember because I never got around to telling you. I was rather... distracted. Remember?"

Burke swallowed thickly and watched her dainty fingers play with his tie. He was acutely aware of the guards and some of the residents watching them intently. No doubt she had just set the cat amongst the pigeons and gossip would be rife within a matter of minutes.

Shifting slightly, he hoarsely asked, "Remember what?"

The tip of Nicole's tongue wet her lips while she batted her lashes at him. Her blue eyes twinkled mischievously and she whispered in a velvety voice, "You don't remember us making mad, passionate love? How very disappointing Burke."

Burke's head reeled as he watched her pick up her helmet and stride out the front gate. Surely he would remember something like that?

"Come on Burke, we don't have all day," she called, snapping him back to the here and now.

He chased after her and was soon at her elbow, still perplexed by the sudden turn of events. He had never believed her when she said she hated him. There was always a slight smirk or a look in her eye that betrayed her words, no matter how venomously she said it. At the same time, he couldn't believe that she would willingly submit herself to him in such a way.

"I... don't remember any of it," he guiltily confessed.

Nicole stopped abruptly, faced him and cooed, "Oh Burke..." She trailed a finger along his jaw, making a muscle twitch and sending a shiver down his spine. "Let me say here and now, emphatically, that even if you were the last man on earth I wouldn't let you in my bed."

His mouth open and shut a couple of times before he slowly said, "You mean..."

"I was teasing you, Burke, and you fell for it hook, line and sinker," she smugly smirked, incredibly pleased over how she'd just played him.

Anger bloomed in Burke's chest and his first desire was to backhand her, to make her hurt, to break the finger that had just skimmed along his jaw so he could enjoy the sound of her crying and pleading for forgiveness and mercy, but he felt certain that was what she wanted just so she could have an excuse to shoot him. How had he not seen through her pathetic ruse to begin with?

He ignored the uncomfortable answer that almost instantly sprang to mind: he had wanted it to be true.

Taking a few moments to gather himself, he finally looked down at her and said, "We have a job to carry out. I suggest we delay no longer with such ridiculous nonsense."

"Agreed," she nodded, feeling more than a little disappointed that he hadn't taken the bait. She was completely unaware of just how close she had come to being severely hurt.

"Here," she shoved her plasma rifle at him, "you'll need this."

"I have my own weapon," he sniffed at the rifle.

"And it won't make a dent in most of the creatures out here. Take it." She held it out to him and sheepishly added, "Consider it a peace offering."

Burke reluctantly took it, knowing that she was right. A 10mm bullet might be able to kill a man, but it was very ineffective against the thick carapace of a Radscorpion.

"Thank you," he said grudgingly, slung the rifle over his shoulder and watched as Nicole gathered her hair into a bun and slipped her helmet on.

"C'mon, let's go before it gets too hot out here," she said and started walking in the direction of Smith Casey's Garage.

For some time, they walked side by side but said nothing to each other. Burke's ego had been bruised by Nicole's prank and so he was sulking. Gathering as much, Nicole let him get on with it. There was a part of her that felt very guilty for what she had done, but he'd had it coming. At the time she considered it the perfect retribution for the things he'd done since she'd arrived at Tenpenny Tower, but the ill-tempered silence was starting to wear on her.

They had walked a couple of miles, each lost in their own thoughts when he broke the silence with a snide order, "Don't fraternize with the staff, Nicole."

"What?" her voice sounded tinny through the helmet.

"Gustavo. You and he seemed to be getting along famously this morning," he said, not attempting to hide the sarcasm or disdain in his voice.

Nicole wracked her brain to think of what Burke might be referring to and burst out laughing.

Burke's expression darkened. She was pushing him to the limit today.

"I don't find this funny in the least, Nicole."

"Burke, get over yourself. Haven't you ever heard of the power of female persuasion? I had to replace my .44 and he wanted me to pay over the odds for a 10mm that was in poor condition." Nicole gently bumped against him, "Besides, aren't I one of the staff?"

He set his jaw, "You are under my personal employment and therefore are not a member of the Tenpenny staff."

Nicole growled, "You don't own me, Burke."

Burke could feel the tide turning in his favour again and he smiled, "As long as I pay for your keep, you do."

Nicole would have argued against Burke's claim if a sound nearby hadn't made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. It was a shuffling, grumbling noise that was coming from behind some nearby boulders. She raised her hand to stop Burke, but he ignored her signal and continued to walk forward.

"Burke!" she hissed. "Get your ass back here!"

"You are becoming more trouble than you are worth, Nicole!" Burke barked and spun around in time to see her raise her Gauss rifle. At first he was stunned but the anger he felt earlier had returned full force.

"Don't move," she said firmly but calmly. She eyed down the scope at the Yao Guai that had just appeared from behind the rocks.

So far it hadn't appeared to have noticed them, but all that changed when Burke aimed the plasma rifle at her and shouted, "You spiteful little bitch!"

The Yao Guai's head sharply turned in their direction and let out a roar. Nicole pulled the trigger of her Gauss rifle, but it missed the charging mutated Black Bear.

While she quickly reloaded, she shouted, "Goddamn it Burke! Behind you! Shoot it!"

Burke turned and stood frozen for a few moments. It seemed that everything had slowed down and all he could hear was his heart thundering in his ears and the sound of Nicole's Gauss rifle firing.

"Burke! NOW!" she ordered.

The Yao Guai was mere feet from him, its jaws snapping and snarling and its massive claws slashing at the air. His arms felt slow and heavy as he brought the rifle up and rapidly fired plasma into the beast.

The plasma hit it squarely in the head and just as it brought its paw up to tear into Burke, it burst into a green sludge that went everywhere.

Burke dropped the plasma rifle to his side and stared dumbly at the remains of the Yao Guai. The attack had happened so quickly and his own ineptitude of dealing with the Wasteland had put him in grave danger.

"Burke?" Nicole softly called his name and jogged over to him. "Are you OK? It didn't get you did it?" She made a cursory inspection, but couldn't see any injuries.

"Hmm?" he gave Nicole a bewildered look.

"Look at you..." she clucked. "You got it all over you," she said and gently wiped away a streak of goo on his cheek. "There, that's better."

Burke suddenly lashed out, pushed her away and snapped, "I am not a child who is in need of his mother! I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself!"

Nicole stumbled back, her face the perfect image of fury behind the helmet and shouted, "Oh, really! So that's why you nearly got yourself killed? If you feel so certain you don't need me, then go and find your damned G.E.C.K. on your own!"

Burke watched as Nicole began to march off in the opposite direction. The woman was being insolent for the sake of it, but she had put him over a barrel. Burke was resourceful, but he lacked the brute strength and survival skills that she did. He'd spent far too many years in the lap of luxury to make it in the Wastes on his own. It pained him that he did need her, but he wasn't about to admit it freely.

Thinking quickly, he raised the plasma rifle and fired at the ground a mere foot to her left.

Nicole, in her anger, had forgotten that she'd given him one of the more deadly energy weapons available and mentally cursed herself before stopping and slowly turning to face him.

"That, Nicole, was a warning," Burke said from behind the rifle. "I am aiming for your head right now and I have no compunction about pulling the trigger. You are not the only mercenary in the Wasteland. Even you should be able to figure out that your type are a dime a dozen. The choice is yours. Either you willingly accompany me or I will be forced to kill you. And before you argue that I need you for your Pip-Boy, I will counter that once you're dead, your Pip-Boy would be in my possession."

For what seemed ages, she remained where she was and stayed perfectly still until there was a slight hiss from the hydraulics of her power armour and she trudged towards Burke.

"You're a bastard," she muttered.

"And your point is?" the corner of his mouth curled into a smile and he slung the rifle over his shoulder.

"Just making sure you knew," she trudged on towards Vault 112 without bothering to see if Burke was following her.

Burke, amused that his strong-arm tactic worked, allowed her to lead the way just in case she decided to try and make a break for it. A smirk played over his mouth as he watched her hips.

The view, after all, was rather breathtaking.

As the day dragged on, the midday sun beat down on them brutally and Burke could feel the back of his neck already prickling from sunburn. Nicole had remained silent; it was her turn to sulk. Apparently the heat of the day was too much for many of the Wasteland's wildlife because they didn't spot anything else after their encounter with the Yao Guai, which Burke was most thankful for.

After walking for what seemed ages, the rusting rocket totem that marked the location of Smith Casey's long defunct service station loomed on the horizon.

"Thank God," Burke muttered and wiped the sweat from his brow.

Nicole slowed and crouched down, observing the garage and the surrounding area through the scope of her Gauss rifle and listened.

"What are you doing?" Burke asked impatiently.

"Shh..." she hissed. After a few minutes she stood and continued on her way.

"Do you care to tell me what that was about?"

"Just making sure we weren't being watched."

"And who would be watching us?"

"Talons," she answered, continually watching for any signs of danger.

"Talons!" Burke exclaimed.

"Will you shut up! You're going to attract the attention of every beast, raider and Talon in the area if you keep shouting like that! What did I tell you about stealth?" Nicole sighed and pointed to the right of the service station. "See that? Tents. Talon Company has a camp here."

"Damn it," he grumbled.

"As long as we're quiet and take our time we should be fine, but keep your eyes open all the same, alright? And be sure that you've got your rifle to hand, just in case."

Burke nodded, "Lead the way then."

Cautiously they crept along using rocks and scrub brush for cover. Nicole had become accustomed to walking in a crouch and it didn't really faze her. Burke, however, could feel the muscles in his legs and back quivering, aching and threatening to cramp. He was regretting his decision to come along on this little excursion with every passing minute.

They were nearly there and Nicole paused long enough to quickly scope the Talon camp. Burke knelt beside her, looking in the same general direction. He blinked furiously as a bead of sweat ran into his eyes.

"Ok, I think we're clear. See the door there? Move quick, get in and I'll be right behind you. Just keep your head down and don't stop. Understand?"

He nodded, "Yes."

"Off you go then," she gave him a little shove to get him moving.

Burke nervously glanced around and quickly ducked into the door and Nicole was close behind. As soon as she had cleared the door, she shut it.

There was a click and a hiss as Nicole took off her helmet, "I really hate wearing this thing. Right, welcome to Vault 112!"

"This is it?" Burke looked around, rather unimpressed by the dingy garage.

"Well, not exactly. Follow me!" she said and practically skipped through the building.

Burke shook his head at her behaviour. Just two short hours ago she was muttering under her breath about how much she hated him and what a bastard he was and now she was cheerily guiding him down through the basement of the garage. Her mood swings were irritating at the best of times. Factor in his lingering hangover and the fact that he was hot and tired from the long walk, Burke's patience was on the verge of breaking.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"Vault 112, or has old age affected your memory?" she teased over her shoulder.

"My memory is fine, Nicole," he growled as he got to the bottom of a flight of metal stairs.

Nicole opened yet another door to reveal a tunnel, "We're nearly there."

She led him through the tunnel to the vast blast door of Vault 112. They both stared up at it for a moment, although Burke was the one who was most impressed. While Nicole had seen quite a few Vaults in her travels, this was the first time Burke had seen the trademark door of a Vault.

Burke started when an alarm sounded and a light began flashing and he nervously asked, "What's happening?"

"Stand back. The door's opening."

The sound of machinery whirring could be heard until it was drown out by the screech of metal on metal as the great cog-shaped door was pushed outside and then rolled aside.

"Amazing," Burke breathed.

Nicole frowned, "It's not so amazing when you've been kicked out of the only home you've ever known and you're watching it shut you out. It's rather scary, actually."

Burke noticed the haunted, faraway look on her face and said, "I can imagine it was not your finest day."

"No," she shook her head and added bitterly, "I got over it though."

"Oh, of course you did," he said offhandedly. "So, shall we?"

"Yeah, c'mon," she stepped through the door. "Oh, ignore the Robobrain, by the way. It'll try and get you to put on a jumpsuit, but you won't need it."

"I see," he said as he slipped past said robot. It was shoving a Vault 112 jumpsuit at them and telling them that they were now 204 years late.

The further they went into the Vault, the more Burke's initial awe gave way to wariness. Apart from the presence of the Robobrains, the Vault was still and almost silent. The only sounds to be heard were their footsteps echoing off the walls of the metal corridors. The whole place put him in mind of a mausoleum, those vast pre-war repositories for the dead.

Nicole led him down some steps and into a large, open room that had several pods.

"What are those?" Burke asked as he walked towards them.

"Those are the Tranquillity Loungers. I wouldn't suggest getting too close to them."

He ignored Nicole's warning and looked into one of the pods. The sight of decomposing body inside startled him and he made a strangled noise. He could faintly smell the stench of death and decay and it made him glad that the pod was sealed shut.

Nicole sighed, "I warned you."

Burke rushed back to Nicole and asked, "What happened to them?"

"I did," she mumbled. "As odd as it might sound, I saved them."

"Nicole, if you haven't noticed, they're dead," he said bemusedly.

Nicole frowned and walked to a terminal and said, "I know. I set them free. Braun was... cruel. He had those poor people trapped in his fantasy land. For 200 years he had been making virtual reality simulations and forcing them to participate in his sick little games. When he got bored, he would kill them in the simulation, wipe their memories and start again. Because of the simulation's in-built safeties, the people never actually died."

Burke watched as her fingers flew over the keyboard and she started hacking the computer.

"So how did you manage to... free them?" he asked.

Nicole's tongue was poking out of the corner of her mouth while she concentrated. After a pause, she answered, "One woman was more lucid than the others. She knew something wasn't right, that Braun was toying with them. Her babbling gave me the clues I needed to find Braun's terminal to the outside world. There was a failsafe programme and I used it."

"And it killed them?" Burke pressed.

Nicole's brow knit together and she said, "Yes. The failsafe disabled all the safety protocols. After that a bunch of Chinese soldiers appeared and killed everyone."

She huffed as another password failed. "Now hush, mommy's working," she lightly scolded Burke.

He crossed his arms over his chest and gave her a withering look, but he remained quiet. Considering what Burke knew of Nicole, he figured that her decision to end the suffering of the residents of Vault 112 was perhaps one of the harder ones she had to make. She had been told for so long that all the death that she had handed out over the last two years was completely justified, that she had not done any wrong at all. It seemed to him that she had taken the laud and honour she'd received and used it to moralize what she'd done. To her, all the killing was acceptable, necessary even.

Burke could see through all that, though. He believed that deep down she had developed a taste for blood and that she actually took great pleasure in what she had done. Now if he could only get her to recognise that, the amount of fun they could have would be endless.

"Got it!" she cheered as the door to a storage room opened.

"This does not look like an office, Nicole," Burke dully commented.

"Really? Do you think?" she mocked. "Let's just have a look around."

They searched the room and found an assortment of weaponry, drugs and other supplies, but that was the extent of it. Nicole pocketed most of what was found, however. It was always wise to have something to barter with, although Burke had looked down his nose at her. He couldn't understand why she would bother when all her needs were being taken care of.

"Damn it..." Nicole cursed as she slipped the last of the ammunition into her pack. "There's nothing here!"

"What's this?" Burke asked and handed her a holotape.

Nicole inspected it, her face slowly brightening and she let out a little squeal of delight.

"Bingo! It's the password to the Overseer's office!" She grabbed Burke's arm and dragged him through the complex. He noticed that she made a point of looking away from the loungers as they passed them.

"Heh, you might be of some use yet, Burke," she joked as she entered the password and the door opened for them.

The office was stark and clean. The only things were a computer, desk and another Tranquillity Lounger.

Not wasting a moment, Nicole went straight for the terminal on the desk and again started working with it.

Burke watched her for a moment until curiosity got the better of him and he went over to inspect the lounger in the office. He expected to see more of what he had before, but the occupant of this lounger looked as if he were just sleeping.

"Nicole? Who is this?"

Her eyes glanced up and she pursed her lips, "That is Dr. Braun."

"He's not dead?" Burke asked while gazing inside the pod.

"No. That was the drawback to his failsafe programme. It was designed to keep the Overseer alive."

Burke raised an eyebrow at her.

"So..."

"He's still trapped in the simulation."

Burke gave her a fearsome smile and said, "That, Nicole, is perhaps one of the cruellest things I have ever heard. Are you sure you aren't a sadist?"

She pinched the bridge of her nose, "I derived no pleasure from leaving him there."

Burke moved behind her and chuckled, "No, I'm sure you didn't. You seem to be more of a 'hands on' type of girl. You probably would have loved to mete out some patented Lone Wanderer justice."

She growled, shoved him away and turned back to the terminal.

"Oh, so I was right!" he laughed. "Don't be ashamed of it. Holding the power of life and death over another is rather... seductive."

"Burke, this is neither the time nor the place for this," she sighed and focussed all her attention on the computer.

It took some finesse, but she was finally able to access the system. Her joy, however, was short lived.

"No..." she whispered. "God damn it all to hell!" she shouted and pounded her fist on the desk.

Burke jumped, surprised by her sudden outburst, "What's the problem?"

"My damned father's the problem! Look!"

Her finger jabbed at the screen and Burke leaned in closer.

On the screen was the standard RobCo heading and beneath that in block letters it said:

DATA TRANSFER INITIATED. PLEASE WAIT...

DATA TRANSFER COMPLETE

FORMAT DRIVE C:\

FORMATTING THE DRIVE WILL ERASE ALL DATA. DO YOU WISH TO CONTINUE?

Y

FORMATTING DRIVE C:\. PLEASE WAIT...

DRIVE C:\ NOT FOUND

Burke slowly shook his head and asked, "What does it mean?"

Nicole laid her head down on the desk and mumbled, "He took the data and wiped the system."

~*~*~*~

Dr. Madison Li sat in her well lit laboratory and stared down at the gleaming metal briefcase that had been brought to her a few days before. The very sight of it filled her with dread and revulsion and she wished that this task had not fallen to her, but it had.

Her hands rested on the cool metal in an attempt to stop their shaking, but it didn't help. In fact, they had started shaking so badly that she had to make three attempts to punch in the appropriate code. When she had, the locks popped open with a sharp snap. Now all she had to do was lift the lid, but she hesitated.

"_Come on Madison. You have to do this,"_ she told herself.

Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, she opened the lid of the briefcase and finally looked at the object within.

Sighing down at the Pip-Boy, an old heartache returned full force and settled painfully in her chest. She could feel her eyes prickling with tears, but she refused to give into them. It had been two years; she'd cried enough tears already.

Mournfully she said, "Oh James, how did it come to this?"

* * *

**Author's Note: It's nearly 2:00 AM here in Jolly Olde England! I kinda sorta missed my self-imposed Wednesday deadline, but that is my own fault due to playing massive amounts of Dragon Age: Origin! However, I refused to go to bed until I was able to get this posted. I've told so many that I update on Wednesdays, I feel obligated to do so! It's the least I can do for all my wonderful readers and reviewers! Hope you all enjoy this chapter. It was a fun one to write.**


	7. Chapter 7

"I cannot believe that we walked all this way for nothing!" Burke exclaimed for about the hundredth time since Nicole had discovered that her father had erased Braun's computer terminal.

"How the hell was I supposed to know?" she shouted back while marching up the stairs that led from Vault 112.

"Did you not actually speak to your father after finding him here?" Burke snarled.

"Of course I spoke to him, but I think you've failed to notice that my father didn't tell me a lot of things! Like he was not born in Vault 101, that I was in fact born at the Jefferson Memorial, and that he had planned on abandoning me in favour of some suicide quest! So you can be damned sure that he didn't tell me that he wrecked that terminal!"

"Did it never cross your tiny mind to ask what he'd discovered?"

Nicole glared at Burke while she pulled her hair back and put her helmet on and said, "There wasn't time! It wasn't long after we went back to Project Purity that the Enclave showed up and he died, alright!"

"You have wasted valuable time in suggesting this fool's errand!" Burke huffed.

Nicole's answer was to turn on her Pip-Boy, tune in GNR and turn it up as loud as it would go. If anything, it would at the very least annoy Burke.

"Well!?" he demanded.

"I'm not doing this, not here, not now!" she snapped and shoved past him.

"Yes, you are! I want some answers! What happened after he died?"

"I'm not discussing it now!" she shouted at the top of her voice as she flung the door to the garage wide.

Everything Nicole knew about Wasteland survival had gone out the window. Burke's incessant questioning of events past and present were needling at her emotionally and mentally. As their argument escalated, their voices rose further and carried on the wind.

Burke was close on her heels, still making snarky comments and hurling stinging insults at her. Nicole was becoming more agitated and continued to loudly refuse to go into it any further. Three Dog was quite happily shouting from the Pip-Boy about some nonsense or other, as he was wont to do.

"Hey!"

A shout in the distance got Nicole's attention and she whirled around to see four Talon Company mercs running towards them.

"Damn it! Burke!" she grabbed his arm and pulled him down behind a long ago burned car just as a hail of bullets sprayed in their direction. Her breathing was ragged and she was shaking, but she had to put the feeling of fear that was threatening to freeze her to the spot in check and get them out of this mess.

"If you hadn't of been yelling at me..." she hissed at Burke.

"And now you've gotten us trapped," he snarled back.

"Shut up, I'm thinking!"

She didn't have time though. One of mercenaries had lobbed a grenade and it was a mere three feet away from them. Again she grabbed Burke's arm and dragged him out from their hiding place and into the open. They had barely escaped when the grenade went off and flung dirt and debris at them. The force of the explosion knocked them to the ground and tore at them, although Burke came off worse since he was not wearing any armour.

Nicole wildly looked around and jumped to her feet. "Cover me, Burke!" she ordered.

"What?!" he gave her a bewildered look before catching on, struggling to stand and then levelling the plasma rifle at the oncoming Talons. His shaking hands made it hard to aim accurately.

Nicole, either displaying an inordinate amount of courage, an inordinate amount of stupidity, or in an attempt to indulge her secret death wish, charged for the Talons firing the Gauss rifle. It was about now that she really wished that she'd brought a laser rifle or pistol because it was a pain having to reload the Gauss rifle after each shot she fired.

Abandoning the Gauss rifle and tossing it aside, she let out a feral scream. Ignoring the bullets pinging off her armour, she ploughed into the nearest merc with all the might she could muster with the assistance of her power armour.

The Talons weren't used to having their targets fighting back in such a way. Most would cower, retreat or just give in and die. The unexpected tactic had caught them off guard and made them focus their attention on Nicole. Burke took advantage of the time she had just bought him, found some cover and started taking pot shots at the Talons.

"You bastard!" the swarthy Talon shouted at Nicole as he was knocked to the ground.

Nicole planted herself on top of him and sniped back, "I'm a bitch, actually, but now's not the time to argue semantics!"

She brought her arm back and allowed the power armour to do its job as she landed a series of vicious blows to the surprised man's face, eventually reducing it to a bloodied pulp. Looking up, she fixed on her next target only to watch him become a puddle of goo.

"Great shot, Burke!" she cheered.

"Just hurry!" he shouted and popped up from behind his rock of choice to shoot at one of the two remaining Talons. He didn't take cover fast enough though and suddenly felt hot lead bite into him. A terrible blood curdling (and incredibly unmanly) scream split the air.

The sound of it made Nicole's head whip around in time to see Burke slump behind the rock.

"No... No, no, no! God damn it! Burke get up!" she shouted, but got no reply.

A shiver of fear ran down her spine, but she pushed that aside. She couldn't give into that right now. Instead she drew on the hatred and rage she was feeling. Snarling, she grabbed the sheathed combat knife she found strapped to the thigh of the man she had just killed and lunged for the next merc that was bearing down on her.

Crouching in a defensive stance, she waited until the Talon was where she wanted and swept her leg out in an arc to catch the Talon in the back of his knees. He let out a startled yelp when they involuntarily buckled and brought him down to the ground and face to face with Nicole. From behind her helmet, Nicole's eyes glittered with murderous joy as she planted the knife in the merc's chest up to the hilt.

He fell back, spluttered, coughed blood and muttered something unintelligible before dying. Nicole was transfixed by the expressions of exquisite pain and, ultimately, relief that played over the man's face and hadn't noticed the last Talon sneaking up on her.

"Got you, asshole!" he grunted and shoved the barrel of his assault rifle against the joint between the helmet and the torso plating of her armour. "Take that helmet off. I want to get a good look at you before I shoot you."

Nicole slowly reached up, unlatched the helmet and put it aside. Her hair had come loose and hung limply around her shoulders.

The Talon merc licked his lips; this was indeed a turn of events.

"Turn around," he jabbed at her neck again. The hot metal of the gun's barrel on her bare skin made her wince.

Nicole did as ordered and glared at the man. He was now giving her a lecherous grin that made Nicole furious, but she was not in a position to retaliate.

"Been a long time since I saw a woman as fine as you, you know?" he asked, his beady eyes shining down at her.

"Fuck you," she growled.

He laughed, "Why don't you shimmy out of that tin can and I'll oblige you. You can go out with a bang before you go out with a bang, if you get my meaning?"

"Oh, aren't you so witty," she drawled.

Her mind reeled. How was she going to get out of this situation? It was a rather unappealing option, but going along with this foul man's carnal desires for a few moments might put her back in control. Pouting her lips, she batted her sooty lashes at him, bid a slight blush to her cheeks and started to crawl over to him like a large cat stalking its prey.

"Hell yeah, get over here," he muttered and thumbed his belt buckle in anticipation. The Talon merc had begun thinking with his balls and not his brain and never thought twice about Nicole's sudden shift in attitude.

The last time he'd been with a woman, it was some piece of Wasteland rough that he'd caught while she was out doing a bit of scavenging in the DC Ruins. She'd pleaded for mercy, but it fell on deaf ears. He'd brutally beaten and raped her and left her for the Super Mutants to find.

Not that they'd get the chance though.

As he walked off, he heard a gun being cocked and turned around half expecting to see it aimed at him. The woman looked at him with haunted, tear-filled eyes, put the muzzle of the .32 in her mouth and pulled the trigger. He'd merely snorted derisively, watched her body twitch involuntarily for a bit and joined the rest of his squad that were around the corner waiting for him. That had easily been months ago now and he'd been feeling rather antsy lately because of it.

He often cursed their commander's reluctance to allow women into the Talons. The few that did make it into the company didn't last long for one reason or another or weren't interested in men anyhow.

Now, here he was and this blue eyed angel was on her knees in front of him. He watched as her tongue slicked over her full lips. _"I bet she knows just what to do with that tongue of hers,"_ he thought deliriously. The need he felt was nearly making him insane now.

Nicole kept up the rouse although her stomach turned with revulsion.

"So," she purred, "got anything in particular in mind?" Nicole let out a light, tinkling laugh.

"Baby, we'd be here all day if I told you everything I want to do to you," he laughed in return.

A deadly glint came to her eyes, "I doubt that."

"What?" he asked. His desire was dampened slightly as a nervous knot formed in his stomach. Something about her demeanour had changed subtly and he didn't like it.

Nicole continued to smile and swiftly punched him in the groin, making the Talon howl in agony before he fell to the ground, curled into a ball and cradled himself.

"You bitch!" he spat out through his clenched teeth.

Nicole grabbed the assault rifle that he'd just dropped, pressed the barrel to his temple and said, "That's right, _baby_."

She emptied the remaining clip into his head without even blinking and stood mesmerized by the pattern of blood and brains that had splattered over the parched earth. The man's heart pumped for a few moments, spurting blood out into a small puddle where his head used to be. How long she stood there, she didn't know, but a whimper brought her back from the dark place her mind had just gone to.

"Burke," she whispered and ran over to the boulder that he'd hidden behind and knelt beside him.

"Where'd they get you? Let me see," she demanded.

"You killed them?" he panted and grimaced from the pain he was in. His right hand clutched his upper left arm tightly and Nicole could see the dark stain of blood on the sleeve of his jacket.

"Yes, they're dead." She sighed and looked around. They needed to get away from here. Where there was one Talon patrol, others were usually not far behind, especially considering the proximity of their camp.

"We need to move."

Burke blinked up at her, "What?"

"Look, if we stay here, we're as good as dead," she explained.

"I've been shot!"

"It's just your arm. Unless you've taken to walking on your hands, you'll survive for the time being."

Burke groaned pathetically and looked over the rim of his sunglasses at her with big brown eyes. Nicole knew he was trying to manipulate her and she resented him for it, but she resented herself more because she had let him sway her.

Impatiently growling, she looked around again and grudgingly said, "Fine! Just hang on a sec."

Burke smiled triumphantly and watched as she ran and collected her Gauss rifle, helmet and pack and trotted back to him. She dug around in the pack and pulled out a small silver hypodermic needle that glinted in the harsh sunlight.

He looked at it warily and asked, "What's that?"

"Med-X," she held the needle up, flicked it with her finger and squirted out a small amount. "It should keep you out of pain while I patch you up."

"Oh-ouch!" he yelped as Nicole jabbed the needle in a bit more harshly than she needed to. He was about to make a snide comment but then he really looked at her. Her brow was knitted together as if she were in deep thought and there were dark circles under her eyes. It was the most weary he had ever seen her.

"How's the arm," she asked while pawing through the pack again.

The Med-X had started to work quickly and Burke felt the pain and fear he'd been experiencing fade away.

"It feels much better," he said and took his hand away to reveal a bullet hole in his jacket.

Nicole frowned at the hole and opened the box she had taken from the pack to reveal a med kit. Nestled inside were tweezers, scissors, forceps, bandages, a small bottle of iodine and some surgical thread and needles.

"Good. Take your jacket off," she said and took out some gauze.

"What?" he asked incredulously.

"Jacket. Off now. I can't see how bad you've been hit with it on." She sighed, "It's either that or I cut the sleeve off."

Burke scowled, "There's no need to go to extremes." He laughed, "Although from the sound of it, you like to do just that."

"I really don't want to talk about it right now," she quietly said and started to remove his jacket, taking particular care with his left arm. She eyed the blood soaked shirt and said, "Roll up your sleeve."

He did as told and watched her carefully clean some of the dried blood away using the gauze and bottled water then put a few drops of iodine on the wound.

"Right," she leaned in close to look at the hole and picked up the forceps. "Now, I know I gave you some Med-X, but this will probably hurt a bit. I've got to get the bullet out."

Burke nodded and as gently as she could, Nicole began to work the bullet out.

Burke gasped. The bullet being removed was nearly as painful as when it went in and he shouted, "Damn it Nicole!"

"Shhh... hold still... nearly there..." she soothed.

"You're making it hurt worse on purpose!" he groused.

"Oh stop it! I've suffered far worse and not complained about it!" she scolded. Wiggling the forceps slightly, she finally freed the bullet. "Ah ha!" she exclaimed and held it up for him to see. "There you go."

Nicole dropped the bullet into the palm of his hand, put some more iodine on, and wrapped the wound. Burke watched her fingers deftly work before looking at her face again. Some of the worry seemed to have gone now that she was concentrating on something else, but there was a faraway look in her eyes. Once done she gently smoothed the bandage and her eyes nervously flicked to his.

"What? Why are you staring at me?"

"You've got blood on your cheek," he said and gently tried to wipe away the dried gore with his thumb.

Nicole gasped and her lashes fluttered before she turned her head away to hide her blushing. It was hard to ignore the sudden pounding of her heart or the rubbery, quivery feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Come on," she stood and offered her hand to him, "we need to move now."

"Which way should we go?" he asked while taking her hand. Once on his feet he was finally able to see the full extent of what she had done. It was impressive, to say the least, if not a bit odd considering that the song "Butcher Pete" was blaring over Nicole's Pip-Boy.

Nicole turned her back on the grisly scene and looked in the direction of Tenpenny Tower.

"Home. Let's just go home now," she said with a flatly and put her helmet on.

"I won't argue with you about that."

"How refreshing," Nicole mumbled.

"Can you at least turn off your Pip-Boy?" he asked.

Nicole sighed and turned it off, silencing the music, "You've always got to find something to complain about."

Without another word to each other, they started the long walk back to Tenpenny Tower.

~*~*~*~

Rumours are very much like forest fires.

They start with a tiny flicker of flame, hungrily lapping at whatever tender is nearby, growing in strength and size. Unchecked, it spreads and consumes everything in its path and becomes a formidable force.

Rumour and speculation had been spreading through the residents of Tenpenny Tower with abandon. When all your day consisted of was drifting between the courtyard, the few businesses within the building and your own room, such gossip was a welcome distraction.

"_You should have seen it! She was all over him!"_

"_He's old enough to be her father!"_

"_Who knew Burke had it in him? The lucky bastard."_

Millicent Wellington had watched the scene between Burke and Nicole voraciously and hung on each word Nicole had whispered. One simply could not keep news such as this to themselves, so once the incredibly odd couple had left, Millicent rushed to tell Lydia Montenegro. It was true Millicent didn't get along well with the other women in the Tower, but for once she could ignore that and pass on the juicy tidbit.

Lydia had reacted with the appropriate amount of shock and feigned being scandalized by the apparent love affair. When she had a free moment, she had told the tale to Mrs Cheng. Mrs Cheng had told it to Margaret Primrose. Margaret Primrose told whoever came into her cafe and would listen.

Many women speculated what Burke could possibly see in the rough Wastelander, but then again the question in reverse was a valid one. Whatever could such a young girl see in such an old man? Raucous peals of laughter echoed through the lobby at the rather rude answers they had devised on their own.

By mid morning, nearly every person who lived in Tenpenny Tower had heard the news, however there was one person who was still out of the loop.

Susan Lancaster had been blissfully unaware of the events that had been unfolding around her. When she finally made her way downstairs she noticed the many whispers and snickers, but it was something she was used to. The other women hated her and the feeling was mutual. They hated her for luring their men away, but it was more like they drove them away. Most of them were sexually repressed, or overbearing or both. What man wants a woman like that?

Tossing her head, she went into the cafe to escape the harpies and harridans. A seductive smile played over her lips when she found that most of the men had gathered in here. Nearly all of them, with the exception of Anthony Ling, cast appreciative glances in her direction. Now this was the kind of attention that Susan was more than happy to receive. It didn't matter to her that Burke had been right and that they only wanted one thing from her. She made a small fortune from doing nothing more than lying on her back.

The other women thought she was a cheap, tawdry whore.

Susan would admit to being a whore, but she would argue that she was certainly not cheap. When you charged your patrons in excess of 200 caps for an evening's pleasure, cheap was not a word that could be applied.

Swishing past the men and coquettishly smiling over her shoulder at them, she went to the counter.

"Oh, hello Susan," Margaret Primrose said. "What can I do for you?"

"I need two bottles of wine, please."

"I see. Entertaining someone later then?" Margaret asked with a slight smirk.

Susan was taken aback by Margaret's question. Never had she been so blunt.

"I don't think that's any of your business, do you?" she replied coolly.

Margaret's flew to her heart and fluttered over it before she stammered, "Oh! Oh no! That's not what I meant!"

"No, I'm sure," Susan sneered.

Margaret went and got the bottles of wine and asked, "Have you heard the news, though?"

"What news?" Susan asked, surprised that apparently she was not to blame for the sudden buzz.

"It appears that that young woman who turned up here a few days ago, that Wastelander, has taken up with Mister Burke. I heard that they made quite a lurid scene this morning in the courtyard."

Susan's eyes narrowed and she snatched the wine, "That is very interesting, Margaret. Thank you."

Turning on her heel, she marched out of the cafe and back to her room.

Susan was livid that this scrap of a girl thought she could come here and muscle in on her territory. She'd been the queen bee for a few years now and that wasn't about to change now.

After a few moments thinking, Susan decided that she and the Wastelander would have to have a little chat about that.

~*~*~*~

It was early evening before Nicole and Burke had arrived back at Tenpenny Tower. Thankfully the journey home had been uneventful. Apart from the odd mole rat and bloat fly, there hadn't been anything that Nicole couldn't handle on her own and she had been thankful for that; Burke's gunshot wound would have rendered him useless with the plasma rifle.

As the last of the dying day faded, they shuffled through the gates.

"Heh," Nicole chuffed, "I never thought I'd be happy to see this place."

"No?" Burke asked and held the lobby doors open for her.

"No. I will admit it's growing on me though," she said thoughtfully and ducked inside.

The pair of them were filthy and sweaty. Nicole's blood spattered armour had gained more than a few worried and questioning looks. It was little wonder that everyone stopped to stare at them as they walked through the grand foyer before starting a fresh wave of tongue wagging.

"Burke," Nicole leaned towards him and said out of the corner of her mouth, "do you get the feeling we're being watched?"

"That, Nicole, is your fault."

"I can't help it that I'm a mess," she moaned. "Besides, you're not exactly spit-shined and polished, are you?"

"No, it's not that, although I'm sure it doesn't help. Your behaviour this morning has obviously become the topic of conversation." Burke's eyes scanned the room. Everywhere he looked people were pointing, whispering and laughing. He growled, "God only knows what they're saying."

She snorted, glared at the nearest group of women and said loudly, "They should mind their own damn business."

"Indeed. As it is, I believe I am going to go upstairs. Are you coming?"

"No. I need a drink," she said and headed towards the Federalist Lounge.

"You're going like that?" Burke asked.

She shrugged, "Why not?"

Burke laughed and gave her an amused smile, "My dear girl, you do like to make a scene, don't you?"

Giving him a cheeky grin, she said, "Maybe."

To add fuel to the fire, Nicole trotted over, stood on her tiptoes and gave him a tender, lingering kiss on the cheek.

Burke's eyes widened slightly behind the lightly smoked lenses of his sunglasses and then he smirked at her.

"Maybe?" he asked.

She whispered conspiratorially in his ear, "If they're going to talk, they might as well have something to talk about!"

Before Burke had a chance to answer back, she had dashed off and disappeared around a corner, giggling the whole way.

Ignoring the goggle-eyed looks from those who had witnessed Nicole's latest ploy, Burke merely shook his head, adjusted his tie and hat and went to his suite. It had been a very long, exhausting day and he could already feel every muscle in his body stiffening. What he wanted most right now was a hot bath and a strong drink.

And, although he was reluctant to admit it, he wanted Nicole's company.

~*~*~*~

Nicole was brazenly seated in the middle of the Federalist Lounge in her filthy armour. Her hair was stringy and greasy and hung around her shoulders. On her face, like some grisly war paint, remained the dried blood spatters and smears from the Talons she had killed earlier that day. All around her were the shocked whispers of the other Tenpenny Residents.

Nicole knocked back another shot of scotch and couldn't help but smile and laugh about their stupidity.

The outcome of the trip to Vault 112 had been disappointing, even depressing. It had never occurred to her that her father would have taken the data and then wiped the computer. Nicole didn't like to think about what happened after that. Logically she knew that it had been stored on his Pip-Boy, but what had happened to the Pip-Boy after his death was a mystery. She really didn't want to ponder it too much as it threatened to open barely healed wounds in her heart. No one had ever been able to tell her what had happened to his body and it haunted her that he probably never had a proper burial.

Scowling, she poured another drink, quickly downed it and closed her eyes in contemplation.

The staccato click of high heels on the marble floor alerted Nicole that someone was walking towards her and when she opened her eyes she saw a blonde haired woman standing before her with her hands on her hips. Nicole instantly felt wary of her. Although there was a smile on her lips, there was a murderous rage in her blue eyes.

"I take it you're the newest resident?" the woman asked.

Nicole eyed her up for a moment and nodded, "Yes, I am. And you are?"

"Oh, forgive my manners. I am Susan Lancaster."

Susan sat down, uninvited, and Nicole's eye twitched.

"Susan. I'm Nicole," she muttered and sat a bit straighter in her seat.

"How are you finding things at Tenpenny Tower so far?" Susan inquired politely.

"Fine so far. Why do you ask?" Nicole asked with an air of suspicion.

"Oh, just curious," Susan shrugged.

They studied each other, taking a measure of one another. Susan's eyes still held that same hatred and it was starting to really bother Nicole.

Finally Nicole quietly said, "No, you aren't. Why are you really here?"

Susan leaned forward and her face went from the placid mask to a harsh scowl, "You're smarter than you look. I should ask you the same question. Why are you here?"

"I asked you first, _Susan_," Nicole said before swigging another shot of scotch. Her eyes never left Susan's, though.

Susan chuffed, "You think you're pretty tough, don't you? Sitting here in your power armour and blood all over you... It's all for show."

Nicole's eyes narrowed slightly and she asked, "You know what this is Susan?"

"No, tell me, _Nicole_, what is this?"

"This is a standoff. You're trying to intimidate me for some reason." Nicole rested her elbow on the table and cupped her chin in her hand. "Now what reason would you have to make you do that?"

Susan snorted and mirrored Nicole, "Look, I worked long and hard to get here. I paid my dues and I earn my keep, if you follow my meaning."

Nicole's eyes glittered and she purred, "Oh... I get it now. You're worried that I'm going to topple you off your little throne of ill gotten caps. No worries. I really have no interest in letting any of these greasy pigs get anywhere near my bed." She gave her a wicked grin and added, "Heaven only knows what you've passed on to them as it is."

Susan's jaw dropped and her hand suddenly lashed out and struck Nicole across the cheek with a loud smack.

Nicole's head rocked back and she slowly turned back towards Susan.

Her eyes blazed and her hands clenched tightly as she hissed, "As much as I would love to give into my more violent tendencies, I won't waste my time on filth like you. Now if you'll excuse me."

Nicole stood, stuck her nose in the air and marched out of the Federalist Lounge leaving Susan and everyone else who had witnessed the confrontation in stunned silence.

~*~*~*~

In spite of his weariness, Burke had tossed and turned for ages trying to get comfortable. Between the bullet wound and muscles that he never even knew he had aching, sleep seemed that it would never come. He looked at his watch and groaned; it had only just gone midnight.

Giving up on the hope of a decent night's sleep, he went out to his balcony. The slivery full moon was partially obscured by black clouds scudding across the night sky. He sat, lit a cigarette and pondered the day's events and what their next move should be.

"Those things will kill you," came a hesitant voice from around the corner.

Burke looked to his left to see Nicole peering at him and gave her a quizzical head tilt.

"Do you often stalk around in the dark, Nicole?"

She gingerly padded her way over to him, her bare feet making no sound on the balcony. Burke was more than amused that she had forgone the negligees in her wardrobe and had procured men's pyjamas instead. They were loose on her, and although he knew it wasn't her intention, something about it was incredibly sexy. He looked away and tried to put the thought out of his head.

"Only when I can't sleep," she said while plucking the cigarette from his lips and throwing it over the balcony's handrail.

He frowned at her but motioned for her to have a seat before droning, "As far as I was aware, the US Surgeon General had been vaporized in the war."

"Mm, yes," Nicole said and curled up in the armchair, "but my father came to that conclusion after a couple of Vault 101's heavier smokers died from lung cancer."

"I see." Burke steepled his fingers and asked, "So you couldn't sleep either?"

In the faint moonlight, he could see her eyebrows knit together and she muttered, "Bad dream."

Over the last two years she had learned that it was best to get up and do something rather than lie in bed and try to go back to sleep. Since coming to Tenpenny Tower, she had taken to walking around the balcony that surrounded the outside of the penthouse suites. It appeared that only she and Burke had direct access to the balcony, which had worked in her favour until tonight. She never imagined that Burke would still be awake and out here.

"You have a lot of nightmares," Burke observed.

"Sometimes," she shrugged.

"What was this one about?"

Nicole looked at him for a moment, "You don't really want to know. So why are you out here?"

"I couldn't sleep either. Our little adventure has tied me in knots. And yes I do want to know."

Nicole sighed, "Fine. It was about those Talons. I dreamed that they came back to life and wanted to rape and kill me. It was probably one of my more mild nightmares." Quickly she changed the subject and asked, "How's your arm?"

Burke was surprised that she actually told him but decided not to push the issue and answered, "It's sore."

"It will be for a few days, but it'll pass before you know it. Trust me, I should know," she said bitterly and idly ran a hand down her thigh over a series of scars that were hidden beneath her clothes. In the days before she had adequate armour, Nicole had been hit more times than she cared to remember and bore the scars of those early days in the Wastes all over her body.

"At any rate, Doctor Banfield was impressed with your handiwork."

"Doctor Banfield?" Nicole looked hurt and asked, "Didn't you trust what I did?"

"Well..." Burke refused to look at her.

"Burke, my father was a doctor! He'd trained me to deal with minor injuries," she muttered dejectedly.

"Minor!"

"Yes, minor. It's just a flesh wound, after all. You're lucky it didn't hit the bone."

Burke didn't like the sulky expression on her face and teased, "Ah well, it was a great comfort to have such a beautiful nurse."

As expected, Nicole coloured up and snapped, "Burke, I really wish you would get bored with making me blush."

He rumbled, "Oh, I don't think I'll ever get bored of that, my dear girl."

There was a companionable silence between them until Burke said, "I heard about your little spat with Susan Lancaster."

Nicole grunted, "She started it."

"Oh, no doubt of that. I'm just shocked that you didn't retaliate."

"I'm not some wild animal who lashes out at anyone who gets near or threatens me."

Burke raised an eyebrow at her and feigned surprise, "Really?"

Nicole pouted, "Don't sound so shocked. Didn't I take care of you today? You should be nice to me. I could have let that Yao Guai drag you off for its dinner. Or let the Talons kill you."

"Careful Nicole, I might misconstrue your actions as a sign of some unspoken affection," Burke jokingly warned.

She nervously fiddled with the ties of her pyjama bottoms and chuckled, "Why would I ever care for a cad like you?"

Burke smirked, "Indeed, Nicole, why? I could tell you what some of the other residents have concluded, if you'd like? Now that would definitely make you blush."

"Oh, God no!" Nicole laughed. "Do they not have anything better to do?"

"No, they don't. Besides, you gave them plenty of cannon fodder," Burke sniffed. Upon reflection, he'd become rather annoyed by Nicole's behaviour.

"You didn't try and stop me," she practically sang.

Burke's lips pursed, "You... surprised me. In the future, however, I'd prefer that you would keep your exuberance to yourself, or, at the very least, out of the sight of others. You're undermining my position here."

"What? Oh please. How am I undermining you? From what I can tell, the men are jealous of you."

"And the women hate you," Burke pointed out.

Nicole shrugged, "So? Let them be petty. We know the truth of the matter."

"As it is, you made me look rather foolish today and I didn't appreciate it."

Nicole rolled her eyes, wrapped her arms around herself and begrudgingly said, "Alright, fine, sorry."

"Apology accepted."

Again they were quiet for a while, but this time it was Nicole who broke the silence.

"You know, I've been wondering something. Do you have a first name?"

Burke's eyes flicked to her and then narrowed slightly.

"Don't be ridiculous. Of course I do."

"Well what is it?" she insisted.

"That's for me to know and you to never find out. Do you have a surname?"

"What?"

"Do you have a surname?" he repeated.

Nicole laughed, "Well, yes."

"And yet you've never told it to me. So, we are, in a way, even."

Nicole nodded, "I suppose we are."

Silence again rained down on them and Burke lit another cigarette.

Nicole glanced over at him, "What did I tell you?"

"You're not my keeper."

"No, but I don't care to have the man who's paying my wage drop dead on me and cheat me out of my caps."

To spite her, he blew a cloud of smoke towards her, his eyes glittering wickedly.

"Charming, Burke. You're such a gentleman," she snarked.

Peering at her and giving her his most disarming smile, He purred, "Oh, I can be quite the gentleman when it suits my purposes."

Nicole tried to take her eyes off his. She felt a thrill run down her spine and that same quivery feeling returned to her stomach. Slowly she said, "Speaking of caps... when do I get mine?"

"Tomorrow." He took a drag on his cigarette and added, "You do realize that I'm going to have to dock you half of it?"

Nicole blinked, snapping out of her stupor, "What!"

"The day was an unmitigated disaster. I can't really justify paying you 500 caps for nearly getting us killed, can I?"

She looked as if she'd just been terribly insulted, "It was hardly my fault, was it! And I didn't get us killed, did I?"

"Perhaps not, but all the same, you will only be getting 250 caps. Oh, and I'll have to dock you for a new suit. Anthony Ling said mine could not be mended so I had to buy a new one."

Nicole snorted, shook her head and said, "You are such an arse." Instead of it sounding like an insult, Nicole had said it softly as if it were a term of endearment. She waved dismissively and said, "I'm too tired to argue about it."

Yawning and stretching, Nicole asked, "So what now?"

"Your question is rather vague." He grinned mischievously at her, "I could answer it in a number of ways, some of which might make more than your cheeks blush, my dear girl."

Nicole's eyes widened, "Burke!"

Low, amused laughter filled the air, "I will give you the answer that I think you want to hear, though. You must go to the Vault-Tec headquarters next."

Nicole gave him a crooked smile, "Me, huh? Not feeling so much the intrepid explorer now?"

"Needless to say, I have had my fill for a while. Do you know where the headquarters are?"

"I've got a vague idea. I might need to ask the Brotherhood if they know for certain."

"No!" Burke practically shouted.

Nicole jumped at his vehemence and asked, "No?"

Burke gave her a sheepish smile and tried to backtrack by saying, "There's no need to involve them, is there?"

Nicole studied him and said, "Well that's not suspicious in the least! If it makes you feel any better, I can come up with some ridiculous reason as to why I need to be at the Citadel. Besides, my Gauss rifle needs some repairs and it's the one weapon I don't dare try to fix on my own."

Burke looked thoughtful, his eyes taking on a distant look, "Mm, yes, I haven't handled a Gauss rifle in over 30 years."

"When did you ever have a Gauss rifle?" Nicole asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Hmm?" he pretended to not hear the question. "So when will you leave?"

Nicole frowned. She'd come close to something, something that Burke didn't want her to know.

"I can leave in the next couple of days." She leaned her head back against the chair and sighed, "I need to recover. I... tire easily. The radiation, you see."

Burke nodded sagely, "Well then, my dear girl, you should be off to bed."

"Yeah, I should," she agreed and hauled herself out of the chair.

Burke went over to her and gently pressed his lips to her forehead, "Goodnight Nicole."

Nicole's heart leapt and thundered in her ears when she looked into his eyes. Her thoughts were racing and jumbled and nothing made sense. Before she knew what was happening, Burke had plunged one hand into her hair, cradling the back of her head while the fingers of his other hand stroked her cheek. Slowly he followed the gentle curve of her jaw and cupped her chin in his warm palm.

Hesitantly, he lowered his mouth to hers, lightly kissing her. Nicole's eyes closed and her arms slinked around his neck. The fingers of her right hand curled around the back of his neck and she hummed against his lips. No one had ever kissed her like this. Before now, she'd only known lustful, greedy kisses that were meant to overpower her. This was so different though. It was teasing and needy and it was driving her mad. She wanted more, needed more and she pressed against him.

The kiss deepened for only a moment before he trailed kisses along her jaw and down her throat. He could taste the salty sweetness of her skin and hungrily lapped at it before breathing into her ear, "Stay."

Nicole's nails dug into his back and made him hiss.

Stay? Nicole struggled to comprehend the single, simple word, but finally did.

Dumbly, she nodded yes.

Burke darkly chuckled, wrapped her in his arms and kissed her again.

Nicole quivered, her knees threatening to give way. Faintly, in the back of her mind a voice demanded to know what she was doing. Oddly enough, it was her father's voice and it snapped her back to rationality.

"No!" she suddenly shouted and pushed Burke away before taking a few stumbling steps backwards. Slowly she shook her head and glowered at him, her breathing was quick and ragged.

"No," she panted. "We shouldn't be doing this."

Before Burke could say anything, she had run back to her own suite, locking the balcony door behind her.

Shaking, she collapsed in her bed and felt conflicted. A part of her wished she was still with Burke, while another part of her knew it would be a bad idea. Curling into a ball, her exhaustion finally got the better of her and she gave into sleep.

Burke was stunned at first, but then he felt rage for being denied. He tried to ignore the murderous thoughts running through his mind and retreated into his suite. Why had she bolted? Had it been nothing more than another skirmish in their constant battle for supremacy over each other? Burke didn't believe that. Something in her eyes told him that she'd wanted it, but she was afraid.

The anger he felt would not abate. Nicole had driven him to the point of distraction and he couldn't get her out of his mind now. Growling, he left his suite, marched across the penthouse lobby and knocked on a door.

A muffled voice from inside grumped, "Who the hell is it? It's late... Burke." Susan Lancaster's face appeared as she opened the door a crack. She sneered at him, "What are you doing here?"

"What do you think I'm doing here you foolish woman?" he snapped.

"That's a good question." She opened the door fully and leaned against the doorjamb, "What was it you said? 'Desperate times call for desperate measures'?"

"That is what I said and I meant it. Somehow I think you can put your indignation over our last meeting behind you if I pay you well enough."

Susan studied him for a moment and guardedly asked, "How much?"

"Triple."

She snorted, "Make it quadruple and I'll do whatever your black heart can think of."

"Excellent," he growled, grabbed her arm and dragged her back to his suite.

Susan was a poor substitute for what he really wanted, but, as he had said before, desperate times called for desperate measures.


	8. Chapter 8

Nicole slowly worked her way into that place between dreams and waking and lingered there as long as she could. While in this state what had happened the night before seemed like some distant fantasy instead of a cold reality. Finally, her eyes opened and it took her a minute or two to remember where she was, but when she did she sighed.

Within moments, the inner battle that had started after she and Burke had kissed resumed. It felt as if two very different halves of her were intent on destroying the other. The baser part of her being felt angry that she had not stayed, that she refused to give into something she'd been wanting for some time now. Her overbearing, moralistic half, which had annoyingly decided to adopt her father's voice, felt triumphant that she had remained strong in the face of temptation.

Nicole buried her head under her pillow and wished she could fling the angel and the demon from her shoulders and silence them for good.

As it was, she was left feeling frustrated and utterly alone. Although it pained her to admit it, Burke was the closest thing she had to a friend at the moment and that was tenuous at the best of times. Nicole's sudden rejection would be a massive blow to his ego that he would not let slip by. Burke would find some way to make her pay for what she'd done; he seemed to revel in his vindictiveness.

She replayed the scene over and over again in her mind with an odd mix of horror and wanton desire. Again her darker half whispered to her, _"If he could make you feel that way from just a kiss, imagine what else he could do."_ Shaking her head, she tried to dismiss the thought and the feelings that it stirred within her.

Nicole would have been lying if she had said she hadn't wondered what it would be like to be with him. That had been something that crossed her mind after she first met him two years ago. Burke was nothing like any man she had ever known. In a world where most men were usually barely more than animals, Burke managed to maintain an air of suave sophistication. When Nicole had left Vault 101 she knew little when it came to affairs of the heart, but even with her inexperience she knew then that Burke could easily master any woman he chose to. It had excited her, but scared her immensely so she had kept her distance then.

The memory of the mysterious Mister Burke had stayed with her though. Even in the midst of her quest to find her father and everything that happened after that, she had often found her mind wandering back to him. Especially on long, dark nights when she was alone he would appear in her consciousness. Like some silly schoolgirl with a crush she would concoct elaborate scenarios, schemes and dreams and get butterflies in her stomach. The machinations of a lonely girl in a harsh world sometimes helped her to remain sane, if not more than a little desperate for some male companionship.

It was usually then that she would re-read his love letters to her. At the time she had been charmed and flattered by the flowery words, but after spending time in the Wasteland, Nicole had become jaded and bitter and wondered how sincere he'd actually been. In spite of that, she had kept them and she couldn't even begin to guess how many times she had read them. There had been several occasions where she resolved to get rid of them, but it seemed that every time she tried to, a pang of wistful longing and regret would cause her to change her mind and safely tuck them away again.

The only exception to this was the fourth letter he had sent her. It had been the one that she had read least because every time she did, it made her heart ache. In his previous letters, he had promised that he would send for her, that they would eventually be together. She had childishly believed that he would be her knight in shining armour and he would whisk her away from the grim reality of her life.

Nicole's heart had practically skipped when she had received the fourth letter, expecting more sweet promises and talk of need and desire, but instead she ended up crying bitter tears for what would never be. In his own eloquent fashion, Burke had taken all that she had hoped for away and ended their would-be relationship before it had even begun.

Even after she had disarmed Megaton's bomb and he had sent the Talon hitmen after her, he stayed in her memory, haunting her. It was a rather guilty secret that in the most intimate of moments with lovers past, there was always a shadow of Burke lingering in her mind.

Some part of her had always longed to know the thrill of his touch, to feel the scrape of his stubbled chin against her throat, to delight in the kisses he would rain upon her lips. Now that she'd experienced a tiny fraction of that, she wanted more, but she daren't act on that yearning. It was far too risky to allow Burke to have that kind of sway over her.

Nicole cursed herself and wondered how he had managed to capture so much of her without even being present most of the time.

It was a question that Nicole didn't really want to delve into too much, although she knew she should. She'd allowed him to draw her in with witty banter and devilish good looks. Nicole thought it was a crime that he looked as good as he did for a man of his age. Most of the men in the Wastes looked haggard and twice their age even when relatively young. Nicole snorted at the thought that it must be a sign of his pact with the devil or that he must be the real-life Dorian Gray.

Upon reflection though, Nicole wondered if he wasn't the devil himself.

Nicole finally dragged herself from the bed and pulled on her pink dress. She scowled when she looked in the mirror and saw the dark circles under her eyes. Although she had practically collapsed with exhaustion last night after returning to her room and had managed to have a dreamless sleep, she still felt weary. Quickly she brushed her hair so she could escape the gaze of her own image and went out into the lobby.

A check of her Pip-Boy told her the time was nearly noon, which was much later than she had thought. Biting her lip, she debated whether to knock on Burke's door and ask for her caps. She needed to start making preparations for her journey to the DC Ruins and had to buy a few supplies. Taking a deep breath, she smartly rapped on the door and readied herself for the awkward tension that would undoubtedly be there between them.

Just as Nicole was about to give up and leave, the door opened and Burke frowned down at her. He walked away, but left the door open and reluctantly waved her inside.

Nicole hesitated, shuffled her feet and demurely tucked her hands behind her back before following him.

"What is it Nicole?" he finally asked tersely.

"I need my caps," she said.

Nicole's train of thought was thrown when Susan Lancaster appeared from the bedroom, sauntered over to Burke and kissed him. Her fists clenched at the sight of the foul woman and her eyes narrowed.

Burke could see the play of emotions over Nicole's face. At first there was surprise, then indignant rage. What surprised him most, however, was the brief flicker of jealousy and hurt that flashed in her eyes.

In the time that they had spent together, he'd discovered that Nicole seemed to shrug off physical pain but clung to her emotional baggage for dear life. To know that he'd actually hurt her, that he'd gotten under her skin and past her barriers and truly caused her pain thrilled him no end.

It served her right for shoving him away last night.

Susan gave Nicole a superior look while she twined herself around Burke and muttered to him, "Last night was amazing."

Behind the sunglasses, Nicole could see Burke's eyes take on a steely gaze. Even if Susan was oblivious to it, Nicole could tell he was annoyed.

The corner of Nicole's mouth turned up slightly into a smirk and her eyebrows slowly lifted as if to say, _"Really, should I tell her or will you?"_

Burke pushed Susan away and said, "Go, Susan."

Again her sinewy arms wrapped around Burke in a display meant to anger Nicole rather than show any true affection for the man. She husked, "Do I have to? I thought we might-"

Burke frowned and ordered, "Leave."

"Fine, I'll see you later then," Susan huffed and stomped towards the door, hitting Nicole's shoulder with her own as she passed. Nicole was knocked off balance briefly and glared after Susan before returning her attention to Burke.

When Burke and Nicole's eyes met, they locked; both of them had defiant expressions on their faces. Silently they were daring each other to make the next move.

Casually, and without taking her eyes from his, Nicole called, "Oh Susan, _dear_?"

Susan stopped short of the door and turned to see Nicole and Burke just staring at one another. Something that she couldn't put her finger on was transpiring between them and it unsettled her greatly. She felt as though she was intruding on an incredibly intimate moment although there was nothing happening.

Shrugging off the feeling, Susan replied in a sickly-sweet voice, "What is it Nicole, _darling_?"

Nicole's eyes glittered dangerously at Burke before she said to Susan, "You do know that he was thinking of me the whole time last night, right?"

Burke crossed his arms over his chest and smirked at Nicole. She had not only called his bluff, but she was raising the stakes.

A nervous titter from Susan made Nicole tear her eyes away from Burke. Susan's odd expression was all the confirmation Nicole needed.

"Oh... oh no!" Nicole laughed and a shark-like grin spread over her lips, "Let me guess... someone," she looked at Burke again, "said something they shouldn't have. Like... perhaps calling the wrong name at the wrong time?"

Burke snorted and shook his head.

"Trust me honey, I took his mind off you," Susan snarled.

"Oh yes, you distracted him so much so that he called you by the _wrong name_!" Nicole clapped her hands and giddily laughed, "I must admit that while I am incredibly flattered, I am also more than a little disturbed by this. Really Susan, you probably ought to think of retiring when the men who are _paying _to sleep with you have to resort to fantasizing about _someone else_."

"Bitch!" Susan screamed and stalked menacingly towards Nicole.

"Whore!" Nicole spat the insult at Susan and prepared for a fight.

"Susan, leave!" Burke barked, making both women jump. He then grabbed Nicole by the arm and dragged her behind him.

Susan glared at the pair of them for a few seconds before storming out, muttering under her breath about what a bastard Burke was and that Nicole was nothing more than a gold-digging tramp.

"Must you torment her, Nicole?" Burke asked once Susan had left and he had shut the door.

Nicole tilted her head thoughtfully, "After she slapped me yesterday? Yes, yes I must."

Burke gave her a disapproving look and said, "You do know that she's a former slaver? She could put up quite a fight if she wanted to."

Nicole's eyes flashed, "Oh really? Now that _is_ interesting. The slavers don't take kindly to strays, you know."

Burke could just about read her like a book and he waved an admonishing finger at her, "Nicole, don't you dare consider it. If I even hear a whisper that you've gone to Paradise Falls I swear I will sell you to Eulogy Jones myself!"

Nicole laughed, "Eulogy wouldn't know what hit him."

Burke rolled his eyes, "Why are you here? I'm tired and really don't want to deal with you right now."

"I want my caps so I can resupply. If you think I'm going to traipse through DC without proper equipment, you're insane." Snidely she added, "And if you'd gone to sleep instead of playing bed sheet bingo last night, you wouldn't be tired."

Burke grunted, purposely ignoring the barb, and went to his safe while Nicole made herself comfortable on the sofa and waited.

"Really Burke, I can't believe that you would stoop to _that_," Nicole said with the utmost disdain.

He paused in counting out her caps, looked at her and said, "What? Selling you to Eulogy? Trust me, I'm incredibly tempted."

"Not Eulogy," she rolled her eyes. "Susie Q. God, Burke, of all people you chose her!"

Burke levelled a calm, yet stern look at her, "It was a choice you forced me to make."

"Don't be ridiculous," Nicole laughed.

"If you hadn't run away like a frightened rabbit..."

"I don't want to talk about it," she muttered and started to pick at her ragged nails.

"No? Then why bring it up?" he asked and glared at her.

Nicole's mouth gaped and she exclaimed, "I didn't!"

He flung a bag of caps at her, which she caught and promptly poured out on the coffee table to count them.

"Don't you trust me?"

Nicole glanced up at him, gave him a contemptuous look and asked, "Do I really need to answer that?"

Burke watched her for a moment and debated whether to ask her the one thing that had been plaguing him since the previous night. After his anger had subsided and he'd had a chance to think about it, only one question had remained and he had to know the answer.

Cautiously he asked, "Why did you leave?"

Nicole's already bowed head drooped further, "I said I didn't want to talk about it."

"Well I do."

Finally she looked up at him, "Fine. Not that it will change anything, though. I... was afraid."

"I gathered that much. Why?" He loomed over her, his fists on his hips.

"Burke," she shook her head and chuckled nervously, "you have no idea, do you?"

"No idea of what?"

She shook her head again, "It's nothing. I just... changed my mind, ok?"

"You said you were afraid. I saw that in your eyes last night." He smirked and added, "Amongst other things."

Nicole shot him an unimpressed look and sighed, "Fine, I changed my mind because I was afraid." Sheepishly she added, "And my conscience decided to take on my dad's voice." She scrunched up her face and let out a strained laugh, "Do you know how much of a turn off it is to have your dead father questioning your actions?"

Burke wasn't buying it and he raised an eyebrow, "Nicole..."

"That's it, I promise," she whined.

"No it's not," he pushed.

"Damn it Burke! I'm trying to count these caps if you don't mind!" Her hands nervously flew up like frightened birds and ran through her hair, "You're just... different, ok?"

Finally Burke realized what she was saying and heartily laughed, "So, you're quite happy to settle for the sticky, inept fumblings of little boys, but a real man scares you?"

Nicole groaned, "Burke... could you make it sound cheaper if you tried?" She quietly said, "I loved Jack. And Leo, even if he was a no good junkie sell-out."

"And how many others?" Burke asked with all the tact of being hit with a lead pipe.

Nicole's fist pounded on the table and sent caps flying, "We are certainly not talking about this!"

Burke persisted, "Two? That's all? Surely not. You're an incredibly passionate woman. I can't imagine the young bucks of Vault 101..."

"Burke! Stop it!" she shouted, her eyes wide and flashing and high colour on her cheeks.

He laughed cruelly at her and picked up some of the caps that were still lying on the floor while Nicole quickly gathered the others up and put them back in the bag. She held out her hand to demand the rest.

"Ah, ah, ah... I want to know," he grinned at her and clutched the remaining caps in his hand.

Nicole groaned, "Why? Just so you can get some perverted thrill?"

"No, not at all. I'm just curious."

She sniffed and jerked her chin defiantly, "Very well, if you must know, I wasn't quite as innocent as you seemed to think when we first met."

"Oh?" he sounded amused.

"There was one other, but... Gah, I cannot believe I'm telling you this!" She frantically grabbed for his hand to get the caps back.

Burke held them just out of reach and goaded her, "Go on..."

Shamefaced, she quickly mumbled, "There was one other. My first. It just kind of happened..."

Again she grabbed for the caps and he slapped her hand.

"Who was he?"

So this was it. This was her punishment for leaving him out in the cold. He was demanding an embarrassing recount of her very short list of former loves.

She rubbed her temples and said, "It was my father's lab assistant. Jonas. It happened shortly before I left 101. We'd been flirting with each other for a while, harmless really. I guess that one thing led to another one day and, well..." She trailed off before timidly adding, "He was 20 years older than me. God, my father would have died if he had found out. Heh, maybe I should have told him after all. If he'd died then and there, I wouldn't be stuck out here now."

"Is your life so bad now? From what you've told me, Vault 101 was less than ideal."

Nicole said almost hysterically, "Oh, it's so much fun being shot at, attacked by raiders and mutant animals and struggling to survive!" She sneered, "Pfft... I'd much rather deal with the Overseer and Butch DeLoria's idiotic gang."

Burke shook his head and said ruefully, "So bitter. What a shame. If only I could have brought you here sooner."

Nicole grumbled, "Yeah, so much for all those promises you made, huh?"

She felt certain that whether Burke had brought her to live at Tenpenny Tower long before now or not, it would make very little difference to how jaded she had become. Living in the lap of luxury wouldn't have saved her from everything she went through.

"Tell me, do you miss this Jonas?" Burke asked, his voice sounding oddly strained.

Nicole gave Burke a blank look, "Not now. I mean, he was a friend and all, but the Overseer had him killed for helping my father to escape."

Burke's smirk died and he offered the caps to her, which she quickly scooped up and tucked them away.

"Thank you," she mumbled.

"When will you leave?" he asked.

"Tomorrow morning, I think. The sooner the better, you know?"

Burke nodded, "Yes. Perhaps I will see you off then."

Nicole laughed, "As much as I would like that, perhaps it would be best if you didn't. I think we've fanned the fires of speculation and innuendo enough as it is."

"I thought you said that you didn't care what they think?"

"I don't," she shrugged. "Not much. You can be sure Susan will be twisting things even more now, though. Anyway," she walked towards the door, "I have things to do."

"Nicole?"

She stopped and looked at him, "Yes?"

He gave her a wicked grin, "So you've always had an interest in older men?"

Nicole smirked and asked, "Did you really call out my name?"

"I believe I asked you first, Nicole," Burke said.

Her eyes twinkled, "Yes, I have. Your turn now, did you?"

He was more than a little surprised by the blunt answer and if she was going to be candid, he might as well too. An honest question deserved an honest answer, for once. Deliberately Burke went to her, leaned down and whispered in her ear.

And with that one whispered word, Burke made Nicole blush deeper than she ever had before.

~*~*~*~

It had taken a few days, but Dr. Madison Li had finally cracked the damnable encryption codes of James' Pip-Boy. To say that it had been a challenge was an understatement. She had discovered that the Pip-Boy was coded specifically for the wearer and would not allow her to access any of the more sensitive information and data stored within. After a frustrating all night shift in the lab tinkering with it, she finally had found a work around and downloaded the information with very little corruption.

Sifting through the data had become a heart-wrenching ordeal though. She had easily found Dr. Braun's research and even some of James' notes that filled in the gaps of what she had managed to salvage from Project Purity. It was the more personal information that she stumbled upon that made Madison's eyes fill with tears.

At the moment, she was looking through some old photos and one in particular gave her pause.

It was a picture of a woman who was in her late 30's or early 40's. The woman in the picture smiled shyly, her head cocked to one side and a slight blush stained her cheeks. Her wide blue eyes sparkled with a hidden joy and it looked as if she might have been caught off guard when the person capturing the image had sneaked up on her and quickly snapped it.

It was easy to see why she looked so happy.

Poking out from her battered lab coat was the rounded bump of her pregnant belly. Her hands rested on it protectively just as pregnant mothers everywhere seemed to do instinctively.

Madison sighed and remembered how happy both Catherine and James had been about the impending birth of their child.

"_If it's a girl, we're going to name her Nicole," _James had told Madison. _"It means 'victory of the people'." _

In hindsight Madison wondered if James had had some prophetic vision of the path his daughter's life would take for him to choose such a name. Not that she believed in such things, but the coincidence between the meaning of Nicole's name and the fact that she had become a champion of the people of the Capitol Wasteland was something that did strike Madison as odd.

The next few images were of a tiny baby wrapped in a blanket and sleeping in a metal crib. No doubt these had been taken after James had been permitted to move into Vault 101. She continued to look through the images. More pictures, time shifting, the baby became a toddler and then a young girl.

Again Madison stopped, her breath catching slightly when she found a picture of Nicole and her father, side by side. The girl was holding a BB gun and had a broad smile on her face. James was smiling as well, but his eyes were sad. Nicole's birthdays were probably a mixed event for him considering that as he welcomed his child into the world, he lost someone he had cared for deeply.

It had been a needless loss as well. Madison had warned Catherine that with her heart condition bearing a child could have disastrous consequences for her. Catherine, being an eternal optimist, had laughed off the warning and said that all would be fine. She tried to convince Madison that the pregnancy was a gift from God. Children were a rare thing in the Wasteland due to the radiation. So many were sterile, had trouble conceiving or carrying a pregnancy to full term and Catherine was horrified by Madison even hinting that terminating the pregnancy might be the best thing.

Things had not been fine though. The further Catherine had gone into the pregnancy, the more strain it had placed on her body. It started with breathlessness. Catherine would become winded by the slightest bit of physical exertion. By the end of the pregnancy, she had nearly become bedbound because of the chest pains she experienced. A Caesarean Section was not an option due to the lack of proper infection controls and antibiotics, so the only choice was for Catherine to deliver naturally. Unfortunately the stress of labour and delivery had been the straw that broke the camel's back.

At first everything seemed fine. The baby had been born slightly underweight, but not so much that it was a concern. Catherine's vitals had been fairly stable as well. They were all stunned when she suddenly crashed and went into cardiac arrest. Just as Madison was about to order James to take his daughter and go so that she could save Catherine, he barked at Madison to take the baby out of the room. Madison wanted to protest and reason with him that she should stay since his personal involvement might cloud his judgement, but she knew there was no point. It would have fallen on deaf ears.

So, Madison awkwardly bundled the crying child in a blanket and carried her out. Pacing up and down the hall she tried to soothe baby Nicole by bouncing and shushing her, but she would not settle. Madison wondered if the non stop crying was because little Nicole could tell that she wasn't the motherly type or if it was because of the fear that hung heavy in the air.

The minutes ticked by and with each sweep of the second hand, her heart broke a bit more for James. In spite of his best efforts, all had been for naught. How long had James worked to try and revive Catherine? Madison could never say, but it seemed like forever had passed before he finally shuffled from the room, pale, drawn and silent. Without a word, he took the mewling newborn from Madison and went to his room.

It wasn't long after that Project Purity fell apart. It had already been under great pressure from the Brotherhood of Steel demanding instant results and the nearly constant threat of Super Mutant invasions. The birth of Nicole and the death of Catherine had turned James into a shell of his former self. Gone was the hopeful optimism that Madison had grown to love.

And she had loved him. More than anyone could ever guess, including James. She had kept her feelings to herself for fear that any romantic involvement with a colleague would be highly unprofessional and that it might complicate matters unnecessarily. It had been quite a slap in the face when Catherine had quietly confided in her that she and James had fallen in love and were to be married. Madison, in an attempt to stifle her own feelings for James and ignore the bitter jealousy that ate at her heart, buried herself in her work.

Madison had been stunned when James told her his plans to enter a Vault. Stunned was perhaps too soft a word for it, though. She had felt utterly betrayed and abandoned by him. In fact, she had been so upset by his leaving that she never told him goodbye. On the day he left for Vault 101, Madison had ensured that she was far too busy to take time with such a trifling matter.

That had been so long ago now and Madison had eventually made a life for herself in Rivet City. It wasn't perfect, but she had her own lab and was given the freedom to do what she wished. She rarely even thought of James. Not because she didn't want to, but because it still hurt too much.

Then he had appeared from nowhere and the floodgates had opened. All the feelings that she had buried deep now refused to be ignored. It had been nearly 20 years and Madison had hoped that in that time he had been able to lay aside his grief and move on. She had secretly hoped that perhaps now it would be her turn and that she would be able to tell James how she truly felt about him.

It had quickly become apparent that he was still very much in love with Catherine and Madison reluctantly accepted that she would never be anything more than a friend to James.

He wanted to revive Project Purity and try again. Madison was certain he was insane and had tried to talk him out of it. She even offered him a position in her Rivet City lab, which he politely declined. There was no reasoning with him on the matter. It was refreshing to see that he'd regained some of his old fire and passion, but it seemed to have come with a dash of foolhardiness. Madison, however, could never tell him no and eventually conceded to James and agreed to help him.

Things would have been fine if his daughter had not decided to follow on his heels. Madison squarely blamed Nicole for many things, and she had told the naive girl that in no uncertain terms when they finally had met face to face in the Rivet City science lab. Even so, she had pointed Nicole in the direction of Vault 112. It at least got the girl out from under her feet for a while, but Madison was relieved when Nicole had returned with her father in tow. With James back, and with the information that he had gleaned from Dr. Braun, they would be able to go back to the Jefferson Memorial and complete the work that had been started all those years ago.

The return to Project Purity had not been anywhere near as grand or wonderful as they had thought it would be, however. The place was a mess and crawling with Super Mutants. Madison would only grudgingly admit that if Nicole had not been there they would have had no chance of even getting near the Jefferson Memorial. They were all scientists, not hardened soldiers. Nicole's short time in the wastes had taught her some very valuable lessons when it came to dealing with such threats and she had dispatched them within the day.

For once, there was a glimmer of hope, but that didn't last long.

While they were making preparations to start the purifier, the Enclave had arrived and attempted to wrest control of it, which James was having none of. Madison stood helpless as James sealed the bulkhead door, shutting himself and Colonel Autumn inside. It never occurred to her that he would go to such extremes to keep Project Purity out of the hands of the Enclave.

It had been like being in a waking nightmare watching James release the radiation into the chamber. He'd signed his own death warrant and Madison was stunned. Beside her Nicole came unglued and started pounding on the glass furiously and shouting for her daddy like a frightened child. It was almost more than Madison could handle. Then it was over. James lay lifeless and Nicole went silent. She had almost been rendered useless by shock as she slowly began to sink to the floor, her eyes fixed on her father.

"_Daddy?"_ Nicole had hoarsely whispered over and over.

Again, though, Madison had to reluctantly give Nicole some credit. Once told that she needed to get everyone to the Brotherhood of Steel, she had snapped to and come through in the end. Nicole had effectively saved their lives that day and had gone on to become a hero of the Capitol Wasteland.

Why was it that she felt such hatred for this girl?

A knock on the door made Madison jump. Quickly she swiped away the hot, bitter tears she'd unwittingly let fall and cleared her throat.

"Come in."

The door opened and Anna Holt walked into Dr Li's office. Madison tried not to stare at the disfiguring scars on the right side of her face and neck, but it was difficult. Anna had once been a fairly attractive woman, but her ordeal of escaping from Raven Rock as it was destroyed had left its mark on her.

"Dr. Li, it's time for you to make your report," she said, turning her head slightly to try and hide the scars.

"Thank you Anna. I'll be there shortly."

Anna ducked her head and left, leaving Dr. Li to gather her various reports as well as her thoughts and emotions. Madison was in no rush to go to the meeting, although she knew that her superiors were eager to hear what she had discovered.

Her footsteps echoed forlornly in the empty halls of the Institute as she went to the conference room and entered the brightly lit room.

"Ah, Dr. Li, please have a seat," Dr. Zimmer, the head of the Institute, said.

Madison looked around the room at the others gathered there and reluctantly sank into the only seat left in the room.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Dr. Li," said the man to her left.

Madison frowned. How she hated that soft southern drawl.

"I'm afraid that I cannot return the sentiment, Colonel Autumn," she replied coolly.

"I understand. Our last meeting was not under the best of circumstances."

"No, it was not. It's not every day that someone brings me the belongings of a dead friend. Especially when those belongings were more than likely buried with him," her eyes flashed. "Or did you rip the Pip-Boy from his body before you casually tossed it in the Potomac?"

Colonel Autumn opened his mouth to answer back, but Dr. Zimmer quickly interjected, "Perhaps you would care to share with us what you've learned, Madison? The Colonel is a busy man, you understand?"

Madison slid the files over to Colonel Autumn for him to peruse and said, "After hacking the Pip-Boy 3000's encryption codes, I was able to retrieve Dr. Braun's research on the G.E.C.K. It has proved to be rather enlightening, to say the least. Apparently there were different types of G.E.C.K.s available. As Dr. Braun developed the technology, they became more advanced. The earlier G.E.C.K.s were nothing more than glorified seed kits and instruction manuals that would tell the Vault dwellers how to survive above ground. Later G.E.C.K.s apparently have the ability to recombine matter and leave behind a pure, virgin landscape that is free of all pollutants and radiation."

"We were already aware of this much, Dr. Li," drawled Colonel Autumn.

"Indeed, but according to Dr. Braun, these later G.E.C.K.s have only been tested in computer models and simulations. It was his fear that even if they worked, it was likely that they might be unstable or unpredictable."

"How so?" questioned Dr. Zimmer.

Madison laced her fingers together in front of her and continued, "Firstly, they would destroy any life in the area that it was activated. Secondly, it is possible that the new environment would be unstable at a cellular and molecular level."

"Which means?" Colonel Autumn asked.

"Which means that while you may have a lush paradise for a short while, it is likely that it will fall apart with catastrophic consequences. Another thing you have to consider is the range that one of these later G.E.C.K.s might cover. According to Dr. Braun, he estimated that one of them might be able to convert 100 square miles. That's an estimate. For all we know, the reaction might reach far beyond that. It's the classic question: How long is a piece of string? Where would the reaction end? What is there to tell it that it was finished? That is the problem. If it were to reach out and keep going, it could theoretically affect the entire world, effectively wiping out the meagre population that the G.E.C.K. was meant to help sustain."

Colonel Autumn nodded gravely and shuffled through the reports, "What can be done to temper the reaction then?"

"Until I have a G.E.C.K. in my possession, anything I say would be conjecture and I don't like dealing with maybes and possibilities," Madison replied.

Autumn's head snapped up and he gave Dr. Li a piercing stare, "You don't have a G.E.C.K. yet? Haven't you spoken to our contact in the Capitol Wasteland?"

Her back stiffened and she nodded, "Yes, I've spoken to Mister Burke, but I've not had any contact with him since." Madison frowned at the memory of their brief meeting. The man had given her a bad feeling from the start. "Can we actually trust him?"

Autumn laughed, "Hell no, we can't trust him! He'll do what he's paid to do, but he'd just as soon stab you in the back in the process. In spite of that, he's done good work for us in the past. Well, at least he has done when the price is right."

"He seemed happy enough with the arrangement that we agreed upon."

Autumn nodded, "Excellent. He's still in the dark about any Enclave involvement?"

"Of course he is. The Enclave's approval rating is rather pathetic as it is and I have no desire to even be attached to you and what you represent. Because of that, I'm hardly likely to go shouting the Institute's affiliation with the likes of you from the rooftops, am I? If it weren't for Dr. Zimmer's influence, I would walk away now."

"Madison!" Dr. Zimmer exclaimed and quickly stammered, "You will have to forgive her Colonel Autumn. Madison is rather outspoken at times."

Autumn chuckled, although his eyes held a cold glint, "That's alright. I'd much rather be told the truth as it is."

"Why is it so important that he doesn't know the Enclave is involved?" Dr. Li asked.

Colonel Autumn pursed his lips and finally said, "A few years ago, there was a bit of a... misunderstanding and we parted on bad terms."

"I see. Parting on bad terms seems to be a common theme with all Enclave dealings," Madison observed.

Colonel Autumn refused to acknowledge the insult. Instead he gathered up the reports and passed them to his adjutant.

"Well," he said as he stood, "I believe that will be all for now. We will be in touch to see what progress you've made. Inform me as soon as you have the G.E.C.K. in your possession."

"Of course, Colonel Autumn, we will." Dr. Zimmer stood as well and added, "And please let me reiterate what an honour it is to be working in conjunction with a fine organization such as yours."

Madison remained seated and glared at Dr. Zimmer and his boot-licking ways. A fine organization indeed! The Enclave were cold blooded murderers, plain and simple.

"Dr. Li," Autumn nodded his head in a farewell before striding out of the room with his personal staff in tow.

Once the sound of their footsteps had died, Dr. Zimmer turned on Madison.

"Would it kill you to show a shred of respect to Colonel Autumn?" he scolded.

Madison jumped to her feet, "Respect! Do you even have a clue what the Enclave is about, what they wanted to do with Project Purity?"

Dr. Zimmer pinched the bridge of his nose. He'd already been through this more times than he cared to. Softly he said, "Madison, I know what happened two years ago was an awful and tragic thing, but think of the here and now! Think of the possibilities!"

"You've made a deal with the devil, Carl," Madison sighed.

"The Enclave is generously offering to share some of their technology with us for the sake of a G.E.C.K. I cannot see why you are so upset by it."

"Then you're blind!" she snapped.

"No, Madison, you are. You've been blinded by your own personal feelings! As much as I hate to even do this, I have little option. If you cannot reign in your tongue and do what is asked of you, I will have to ask you to leave."

Madison glared at him. She really had nowhere else to go, so leaving the Institute wasn't really an option.

She let out a wavering breath, "Fine. I will do what is asked of me, but I will not be happy about it."

"You can be as unhappy about it as you like, just as long as you do your job, understand?"

Madison nodded, "Yes, Dr. Zimmer."

Zimmer smiled, "Excellent! Now if you'll excuse me, I have some other matters to attend to."

Once Madison was left alone, she sank back into her seat, held her head in her hands and whispered, "Please forgive me James."

~*~*~*~

Colonel Autumn watched the scarred and charred remains of a once great nation pass beneath the Vertibird and sighed. He wondered why everyone must be so against rebuilding. Surely the needs of the many outweighed the needs of the few?

It troubled him that Burke seemed to be dragging his feet in locating a G.E.C.K. Perhaps he was getting too old for this game, much as Autumn himself was. Cloak and dagger was all well and good for young men, but those days were far behind them.

As much as he didn't want to do it, it appeared that he might have to play his hand sooner than he liked. Turning to one of his underlings he said, "What is the current location of Gamma Squad?"

"I believe they're on manoeuvres in the mid-west, sir."

Autumn nodded. He needed someone that he could control and trust out in the field in case Burke did not come through.

"Call them in," the weathered colonel said, a deep frown settling over his features. "I need them here as soon as possible."

* * *

**_Author's Note: _**I just wanted to thank all my readers and reviewers again. Your kind words and feedback are what keep me motivated week after week! Also, for any of you who have spent exhaustive amounts of time on The Vault, I know that Catherine is not how I have portrayed her here. Please forgive me for indulging in artistic license. Speaking from a genetic point of view, if I went by what it says about her there, then Nicole would not be as I pictured her in my mind. I know it's a minor point, but I also know there are people who get annoyed by such trvial matters.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Lost Hills Bunker, California**_

_**Summer 2241**_

_With utmost care and precision, the slender fingers of the young Brotherhood of Steel scribe began to remove the outer casing of the weapon that had just been brought in earlier that day. It was a weapon that none of them had ever seen before, taken from the lifeless body of an Enclave soldier, the Brotherhood's new foe. Just as they knew very little of their enemy, they also knew very little of their technology and weaponry. Somehow, though, they seemed to have the Brotherhood outstripped and served a reminder that their suits of T-51b power armour and other associated kit were positively ancient. They were now left scrabbling to try and learn what they could so that they might find some weakness to exploit. Reverse engineering of Enclave power armour and weapons had been shoved to the forefront of everything the Scribes did. _

_Even though dealing with new and virtually unknown tech was a daunting task for even the most seasoned Scribe, the job of disassembling the rifle had been assigned to Scribe Burke in spite of his 20 years of age. Time and again he had shown great aptitude for the detailed work that reverse engineering required and was always diligent and thorough in his documentation. _

_It didn't hurt that his superiors had taken quite a shine to the soft spoken, yet incredibly intelligent young man, as well. Because of this, Burke was often entrusted with work of a sensitive nature. He had slotted well into his role and had a promising career ahead of him, by all accounts. _

_However, it had been expected that Burke would take a different course in life than what he had. Growing up in the shadow of the Brotherhood of Steel, he had been put under great pressure by his paladin father to follow in his footsteps. To keep his overbearing and abusive father off his back, Burke joined the Brotherhood as an initiate upon his 18__th__ birthday and embarked on the training programme with mixed emotions. _

_On one hand, he knew the life of a soldier was not what his mother had wanted for him, and she had made that clear in her own quiet way. It had, in fact, secretly been her hope that her son would become a scribe as she was and be spared from the dangers of combat. She had been the one constant in his young life, guiding him, showing him that in a world where everything was twisted and brutal, beauty could still be found, in spite of what Burke's father would tell him. Burke could remember her reading books that she had managed to scrounge from long abandoned libraries and safely tucking them away on a high shelf. She cherished the culture, art and history of a world that had died long ago and tried to teach that to him. _

_Burke's father had looked down his nose on the things he had learned from his mother and thought that she filled his head with nonsense that served no purpose. In his father's estimation, he was already far too soft and needed toughening up. At least that had been the excuse his father used if asked why he had been so cold and harsh to his son while he was growing up. Burke's father would argue that his son had to learn that the only one he could rely on was himself. Burke had always suspected that there was an intense jealousy at the heart of it. His father hated that he did not look on him with the respect and awe that others did and that Burke would rather tag along with his mother and the other Scribes. His obvious love and devotion to his mother grated on his father's nerves. Burke's father could not see that there was any honour and glory to be had by having one's nose stuck in a book. Burke senior sneered at his son's polite manner and decorum and thought that it reflected poorly on him as a father, that he had raised a sissy. He'd always imagined that his son would take after him and it had become obvious that was not that case._

_In fact, during young Burke's time as an initiate it quickly became apparent that although he excelled in his academic studies, he lacked the physical stamina that was expected of a soldier and that he was not built for heavy combat. Once he had completed the course, Burke had been assigned to the Scribes. He had been pleased and relieved with his placement, although his father was always quick to remind him that most Scribes were women, old men and cowards. Although his father's harsh words stung deeply, Burke had long since accepted that his father would never be pleased with anything he did._

_Shaking his head to get his sandy blonde hair out of his eyes, Scribe Burke leaned in closer to inspect the inner workings of what he believed to be a new type of energy weapon. If he was correct in his thinking, it could produce bolts of plasma energy. The sheer deadliness of the weapon fascinated Burke and he regretted that he had been unable to witness the testing of it before it had been brought to him._

_It was late in the evening and Scribe Burke was alone in the lab, which he didn't mind. If anything, the quiet solitude let him concentrate fully on the task at hand. Besides, he was in no rush to return to the crowded barracks. Burke was not shy nor was he unfriendly, but in recent years he had become increasingly content to be in his own company. There were few who could really relate to him anyhow. Most Scribes were technophiles and their narrow focus often irritated Burke. His mother had taught him about literature, music and art and it seemed that the others thought such pursuits as frivolous. _

_While this had contributed to Burke's solitary nature, he had noticed that the women seemed to be drawn to him. In fact, Burke's disposition, his natural quiet charm, and his rather soft features seemed to appeal greatly to the women around him. Burke put it down to the fact that most of the men in the bunker, especially the soldiers, were rather rough and crude. The women often believed that he was lonely and Burke used it to his advantage. It amused him that his mother's attempts to mould him into a gentleman actually had turned him into a bit of bastard when it came to love affairs. Burke, after all, was male and was not about to turn away an attractive woman if she threw herself at him._

_His father, if he had known of his son's womanizing ways, would indeed be proud. _

_Burke quietly hummed _O Mio Babbino Caro_, an opera tune that was now unknown to the world. The only reason he knew it was because his mother had managed to scavenge a record player and records from the wreck of a house long before he was born. Sadly, the sweet strains of music were nothing more than a memory now. When Burke was about eight years old, his father had returned from some campaign or other, drunk and in a foul mood. As soon as he had come into their quarters, he flew into a rage over some imagined transgression and smashed the record player and records just to be cruel. His mother had silently cleaned up the mess, but later when she thought no one could hear her, she had wept bitterly. Now that Burke was older, he understood that that the she had cried for more than the loss of a cherished possession._

_His brow furrowed and he pushed the memory away; he didn't like to dwell on the past. Instead he focussed on his work and made a few notes about the weapon in question in his impossibly small and impeccably neat handwriting and then proceeded to draw a diagram of the insides of the plasma rifle. He had become so engrossed by his work that he hadn't heard the door opening and someone entering the lab._

_Scribe Johnson quietly approached, her heart fluttering at the sight of her fellow Scribe. For ages she had been watching Burke and had become quite infatuated with him. It seemed that every time she was near him, she couldn't think straight and it was hard to catch her breath. Burke was perhaps the most handsome man she had ever seen, but if pressed to say what she liked best about his appearance, she would quickly answer his eyes. They were a dark brown, soulful and incredibly expressive. _

_They'd spoken a few times before now and she always found him to be witty and charming. He was also incredibly knowledgeable about a variety of subjects and she found it fascinating to listen to him. She would hang onto every word his spoke. Of course she couldn't deny that was partly due to the fact that she loved the sound of his voice. _

_Silently, she sat a bottle of Nuka-Cola on the corner of the table that Burke was working at and took a step back._

_Scribe Burke's eyes flicked up and noticed the soda. He stared at it briefly and then returned to the inner mechanism of the plasma rifle before idly commenting, "You should move that. If it gets spilled it would be disastrous."_

_Scribe Johnson felt the familiar electric thrill she always felt at the sound of his deep, soft voice._

"_Really? Why's that?" She took a sip of her own Nuka-Cola and asked, "Will it react with whatever that is?"_

_Burke's lips twitched into a smile and he shook his head, "No, but it would make a mess and ruin my notes."_

_She laughed, "Oh you are terrible, John."_

_Burke mentally cringed. He loathed that his mother had named him after his father._

_He swivelled his chair around to look at the attractive blonde haired woman and asked, "So what brings you here this late hour, Jessica?"_

_A hint of a blush touched her cheeks at the sound of her name. Everyone else just called her Jessie, but he never did. It was always Jessica with him._

_She shrugged, "I thought I'd see what you were doing. You've been in here for hours, you know?"_

_Burke nodded slowly, "Mm, yes, but I've had a lot of work to do and I like being in here on my own."_

_She blinked and looked like she'd just been scolded, "Oh, sorry, I can go if you'd like?"_

_He gave her a genuine smile. Out of all the others, there was something about her that he did like, something that appealed to him. Perhaps it was that she showed an interest when he talked about things other than technology. Perhaps it was that the feelings she thought she secretly harboured for him struck him as being true. _

"_No, please, stay," he said._

_Jessica grinned and hopped up on desk before looking around like a child who didn't want to get caught doing something she shouldn't._

"_Guess what?" she asked with a twinkle in her eyes._

_Burke leaned back in his chair and tilted his head, "Hmm... Scribe Daniels has sprouted two heads from spending too much time working with those damnable mini-nukes?"_

_She laughed, "No! Don't be ridiculous. You remember that experimental weapon I told you about, the one my team is working on?"_

"_Ah, yes, that," he said thoughtfully and tried to not let the gleam of avarice shine in his eyes._

"_Well..." she produced a holotape from her robes and held it up for him to see._

"_Is that...?"_

"_You said you wanted to see the schematics, right?" She gave him a furtive grin._

"_Indeed, I did," he said and went to take the holotape. "Thank you."_

_She blushed and took another sip of her Nuka-Cola, "It was a job getting a copy. There always seemed to be someone around. I finally got my chance and took it."_

_Burke took a step closer and smirked at her, "You sneaky thing, you."_

_Her cheeks burned and she turned bashful, "Oh hush."_

_Gently, Burke tilted her head up, gave her a smile and kissed her, which she tentatively returned._

_For one brief moment, Burke felt a pang of guilt. Poor naive, lovesick Jessica had fallen to his charms far more easily than he thought she would and had done as he'd wanted, with no questions asked, all because she longed to impress him. He hated that he had used her in such a way, but it was a necessary evil._

_The least he could do is try to make it up to her. _

_He kissed her again, this time more deeply and then softly rumbled in her ear, "It's late and we're alone..."_

_Jessica shivered at the implication of what he'd just said. It was almost a dream come true. She obviously would prefer that they weren't about to do what they were about to do on the Head Scribe's desk, but in the crowded bunker privacy was something difficult to come by and one had to grab such moments with both hands._

_Nervously she giggled and said, "Scribe Rothchild would die if he knew..."_

_Burke nipped and kissed her throat and chuckled darkly, "Then we'll just have to make this our little secret."_

* * *

**Tenpenny Tower, Capitol Wasteland**

**Summer 2279**

Nicole had woken at the crack of dawn to get ready to leave for the DC Ruins and was currently in the courtyard of Tenpenny Tower making some final checks of her equipment. Her plan was simple. She would spend the day travelling to the Citadel and see if they happened to know the exact location of the Vault-Tec headquarters. She suspected they did, which would make matters much more straightforward and easier on her. If not, she would just have to search for it, which really didn't appeal to her. The Ruins were dangerous at the best of times if not from the threat of Super Mutants, feral ghouls, Raiders and Talons, there was always the possibility of some crumbling building deciding to give up and finally collapse or the rubble strewn roads being impassable.

The alternative to going over land was to use the old metro tunnels, but she hated them even more. Her night vision was pitiable at the best of times and the old tunnels with their bends, hidden rooms and old carriages gave enemies far too many places to hide. Chances were that she would have no choice but to use them, though.

"So you're ready to leave then?"

Nicole looked up to see Burke approaching her and flashed him a quick smile, "As ready as I'll ever be."

"Good." He crossed his arms over his chest and hesitantly asked, "How long will you be gone?"

"I don't know," she said, stood and shouldered her pack. "Depends on how long it takes me to find the damned place."

Burke nodded, "Well, be careful then."

Nicole's eyebrows rose and she teased, "Why Burke, could it be that you actually are concerned for my safety?"

Burke snorted, "Don't flatter yourself Nicole. My concern is purely from a selfish point of view. It's better for you to risk your life than it is for me. So, in spite of your penchant for flirting with death, please do not go off and get yourself killed. I don't want to go into the Ruins if I don't have to."

"Ah, yes, of course. How could I forget what an arse you actually are!" she laughed, shoved her helmet at him and started walking towards the gate. Burke took the helmet and fell in step beside her.

"C'mon Burke, you'll miss me and you know it," she nearly whispered and gently nudged him with her elbow.

"Oh, I will admit that things will be incredibly quiet without you here," Burke said thoughtfully.

Nicole grinned, "See, I knew..."

Smirking, Burke cut her off, "It will be a blessed relief, to be honest."

Nicole scowled, "Ha. You're so funny."

Burke chuckled at her. In all truth it would be very quiet without her there. He'd grown accustomed to having her around and had even become rather fond of her company, even if she was troublesome at times.

"Right, I guess I better go. Standing here and being insulted by you isn't getting me any closer to the Citadel."

She still didn't move though. Instead she just shuffled her feet and wished she didn't have to go. As awkward as it was for her to admit, she wanted to stay with Burke instead of trekking through the Wasteland. At the very least, Burke was more entertaining than a pack of feral ghouls and certainly a better conversationalist than Super Mutants.

"You're stalling, Nicole," Burke said and held her helmet out towards her.

She pulled her hair back and sniffed, "No I'm not. I'll be glad to get away from you."

"Of course you will," his eyes twinkled knowingly behind the sunglasses.

Nicole frowned and bit her lip. "Promise me one thing, Burke," she said quietly as she took the helmet. "Stay away from that walking disease called Susan Lancaster."

"Why Nicole, my dear girl, you almost sound jealous!"

"Oh please, who's flattering themselves now, Burke?" she said and pulled the helmet over her head. He was right though. The thought of him being with that woman made her blood boil.

"Go Nicole," he shoved her toward the gate. "The sooner you find what you're looking for the sooner you can return."

"I'm going, I'm going already!" she protested, stumbled slightly and trudged through the gates out into the Wasteland.

As Burke watched her walk out of view, a frown pulled the corners of his mouth down. He felt an odd mix of trepidation and a niggling sense of emptiness settle heavily on his chest now that Nicole was gone. Shaking his head at his foolishness, Burke tried to dismiss the feeling and went back inside.

"_You're far too old for such nonsense," _he told himself.

In reply, the emptiness he felt prickled at his consciousness again.

Burke cursed Nicole and bitterly wondered why he had allowed her to worm her way into what little of a heart he had.

~*~*~*~

Colonel Augustus Autumn sat in his temporary office located in the dilapidated ruins of Hanscom Air Force Base in the Commonwealth, poring over the maps of the general Washington DC area. Once upon a time the Capitol had been a thriving city where the most powerful men in the United States met to decide the course of the nation.

In the spring, the streets of Washington DC had been offset by the cherry trees that lined them. Their tiny flowers would blossom and with the slightest of breezes, they would shed their petals like pink confetti. There would be the traditional Easter egg hunt in the grounds of the White House. Tourists would flock to the numerous museums and monuments. And in the sprawling suburbs that surrounded the area, the American Dream was played out in homes that were filled with your average nuclear families. Mom, Dad, 2.5 kids, a car in the drive and an apple pie cooling in the window. Life did not get much sweeter or American than this.

Then, a little over 200 years ago, greed and poor diplomacy reached its culmination and everything that America had stood for was blown to hell in a terrific maelstrom of nuclear fire. Since that day, the people of the United States of America had become nomads, roaming aimlessly from place to place, never settling, always searching for something, but never knowing what they were searching for.

Autumn rubbed his weary eyes and sighed. Two years ago he had joined the ranks of the wanderers. Raven Rock had been destroyed along with a large number of Enclave troops and forced those that were left to try and pick up the pieces and carry on. They had believed that they were destined to inherit the land, but victory had been taken from them.

Granted, Autumn could sometimes put his bitterness and anger aside to acknowledge that what President Eden had wanted, the genocide of those who resided in the Wasteland, had been a step that he'd not been willing to take. It had also come as a relief that The Lone Wanderer (he cringed at the grand title) also saw that was not the way forward and refused to use the modified FEV when she started the purifier.

If only she and her father had sided with the Enclave, allowed them to claim possession of Project Purity, the people of the Wastes would happily given over whatever the Enclave wanted. When provided with pure, clean water, the Wastelanders would have flocked to the Enclave and hailed them as heroes and saviours instead of villains to be reviled.

Again he eyed the maps and tapped on a location that he'd marked. He was tired and he was more than a little aware that he was growing older. The constant upheaval of the last two years had started to take its toll on him and his troops. He'd heard reports of disillusioned soldiers going AWOL, committing dereliction of duty and other offences. Even Autumn himself had wondered if it was time to hang up his hat for good and give up. He was, after all, merely a soldier himself and without a Commander in Chief to issue orders, it felt as if he were lost. The blind leading the blind, as it were.

He refused to give in to defeatist thinking though and had gradually come around to the idea that it was time to take action. It was time that the Enclave do what they were meant to do, it was time to rebuild, to rebirth the United States of America and he didn't care if they had to drag the rest of the inhabitants of the area along kicking and screaming.

It would happen.

It would happen sooner rather than later if they could finally get their hands on a G.E.C.K. Autumn was growing impatient with how the search had been going. When he had instructed Madison Li to contact Burke, he'd no doubt that by the summer's end the G.E.C.K. would be in his possession. In the past Burke had proved to be most resourceful and useful and Autumn was certain that for a high enough price Burke would throw himself into his work. Much to his consternation, they were still empty handed.

He scrubbed a hand over his chin, lost in his thoughts, when a knock on his office door got his attention.

"Enter," he drawled.

The door opened and in strode one of the fiercest women he'd ever seen. She was stern looking, dark hair and eyes and a deep tan from being out in the Wasteland. There were scars running down one side of her face, over her eye, no less. Part of an ear was missing. Colonel Autumn couldn't see that there was anything soft or even terribly feminine about her, but being in the military sometimes had that effect.

"Captain Katrina Saleen reporting, sir!" she practically barked and saluted.

Autumn's eyebrow lifted slightly, "At ease. Have a seat; we've got a lot to discuss."

"Yes, sir," she said, still somewhat gruffly, and lowered herself into a seat.

"How have operations been going out in the Midwest?" Autumn asked, not out of curiosity, but just to be polite.

The young captain did not like making idle chit-chat, even when it was with a superior officer. She preferred to get down to business.

As it was, she was in no position to argue and replied, "Very well sir. We've had little resistance from the local population and the Midwestern chapters of the Brotherhood are spread even thinner than they seem to be in the Capitol Wasteland."

August nodded solemnly, "Excellent." Without wasting any more time, Colonel Autumn said, "I've brought your team here because I have a little problem that needs to be taken care of. Your squad's reputation for taking care of difficult tasks is well known."

Captain Saleen gave him a tight-lipped smile, "That is what Gamma Squadron specializes in, sir."

"Indeed." He studied her for a moment and almost dramatically asked, "Have you ever heard of a G.E.C.K., Captain?"

Saleen nodded, "Of course, but the general consensus is that it's a myth. Otherwise, the Wasteland wouldn't be a wasteland, would it, sir?"

Colonel Autumn laughed, "Oh, if only that were true. No, Captain Saleen, the G.E.C.K. is very real. In fact I've held one with my own two hands. We're in need of another one, however."

"I see, sir." Katrina relaxed minutely and enquired, "May I ask what happened to the one you had in your possession?"

Autumn leaned back in his seat, laced his fingers together and looked at them ruefully for a moment before answering, "In the old Jefferson Memorial there is a water purifier of a rather grand scale. Now, I know many places have purifiers, but this one is unique. It was designed to clear the water of the tidal basin of all radiation. It required a G.E.C.K. to make it work."

She nodded, "I understand."

"Now, we already have a contact - a Mister Burke - in the Capitol Wasteland who is supposed to be searching for a G.E.C.K., but we've not heard anything from him in some time. To say that it is worrying is an understatement. I'm anxious to know if Burke's made any progress. The retrieval of a G.E.C.K. is of the utmost importance. Without it my plans cannot move forward or come to fruition. That is where your team comes in, Captain."

"What will you have us do, sir?"

"I want you and your team to go to the Vault-Tec headquarters and see what information you might be able to find about the location of a G.E.C.K. It surely couldn't hurt to have more than one searching for it, could it?" he asked not so innocently. "In addition to this, I want you to put out some feelers and see if you can catch any hint of what Burke's up to. I wouldn't put it past him to find the damned thing and sell it to the highest bidder."

Captain Saleen nodded, "Understood."

"Excellent," Autumn said and passed a file to her. "This contains your brief and coordinates of the Vault-Tec HQ. The area is fairly thick with Super Mutants, but it's nothing you and your team can't handle. Speak to the quartermaster and he'll get you suited and booted for the area."

She picked up the file and quickly glanced through it. Inside were Dr Li's reports about the G.E.C.K., coordinates of known Vaults and the Vault-Tec HQ, tactical data on the DC Ruins and surrounding areas, and a dossier on Burke and his previous involvement with the Enclave.

Captain Saleen asked, "What shall we do about Burke if we find he's gone against you?"

Colonel Autumn pursed his lips and said, "For now, nothing. I don't want him aware of our presence in all this if at all possible. It would make him more likely to do something... foolish or spiteful."

Katrina perused the dossier and could see why Colonel Autumn wanted to keep things quiet.

"We'll do our best, sir!" she exclaimed brightly.

Autumn smiled, "That's what I like to hear, soldier. Now, if you don't have any further questions, you're dismissed."

Saleen sprang from her seat, saluted Colonel Autumn, turned sharply on her heel and marched out of his office. She was eager to assemble her team and get to work. As she thumbed through the file again, a predatory grin spread over her lips.

"_Let the hunt begin," _she thought with glee.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I apologize for the late update, but this chapter has been a real nightmare to write. I very well may do a major revision of it in the future, but for now I just wanted to get it out of the way. Please forgive me for the shortness, but between having a rather busy week (and a lousy one at that) and a heavy cold, my brain is just about coping with basic functions only! I promise next update will be much better. I'd also like to thank my friend amber Kat for letting me borrow Katrina for my story. I can only hope I do her justice as the story goes on.


	10. Chapter 10

Leo gradually woke and blinked at the ceiling above him, not recognizing it. Pressing the heels of his palms into his eyes and rubbing them, he then looked around the room and slowly realized he was in the clinic. It wasn't the first time he'd woken up in here. In fact, he'd lost count of how many times he had now. Considering that he had no idea how he'd gotten here, he figured that he'd come close to overdosing and someone had caught him in time or it was another of Jenny's attempts to get him clean and sober. In either case it was always the same. Doc Church would give him a shot of detox compound, Leo would get the shakes and then he'd go on his merry way only fall back into his old habits.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

Grunting as he rolled over, Leo closed his eyes and started to drift back to sleep until the sound of muffled crying in the next room caught his attention. At first it irritated him, but as he listened it dawned on him that it was Jenny and he began to feel uneasy. Why was Jenny crying? Leo's unease increased and before long he felt the icy fingers of panic curl around his heart. Desperate to find out more, Leo silently he crept towards the door to listen but as he did, he heard the front door of the clinic open and heavy footsteps enter.

"Is he awake yet, Doc?"

Leo's eyes widened. That was Lucas Simms' voice and he did not sound happy.

"I don't know. I haven't checked on him in a while," Doc Church answered.

"Please Lucas, please, don't do this," Jenny was now plaintively begging and it turned Leo's stomach.

"Jenny, after what that bastard did yesterday, I don't have a choice," Lucas said in an impatient growl. "Just be glad that I'm not going to shoot him for it."

"Lucas, he didn't know what he was doing! You know he can't help himself!" Jenny sobbed.

"He's become a menace! Before it was just picking fights and being a nuisance. I'm afraid he's taken a step too far now and there's no turning a blind eye to it. Doc, get that boy out here."

Doc Church walked towards the room Leo was in. Before he was caught eavesdropping, Leo made a hasty retreat to the bed and pretended to be asleep but a bony finger jabbed him in the ribs, making him flinch.

"Boy, I'd be a damn sorry doctor if I couldn't tell when someone was faking being asleep. Get your ass up. Simms wants a word with you."

Doc Church retreated from the room and back into his office to avoid what was going on. It was his job to patch these morons up, not sort out all the messes they got themselves into.

Leo slowly dragged himself from the bed and shuffled into the next room. He really didn't want to find out what was going on now and would rather live on in ignorance. As the old saying goes, ignorance is bliss, but as it was, there was no escaping.

Simms crossed his arms over his chest, a steely glare fixed on Leo. For years he'd done his best to keep Megaton a safe place to live and overall he felt he'd done a good job but it only took one to ruin the relative peace of the place and Leo had done just that.

"Leo," he coldly greeted.

Leo nervously chuckled and rubbed the back of his head, "Lucas."

"Care to tell me what got in your thick head yesterday?" Simms asked. It was obvious from the blank expression on Leo's face that he had no idea what Lucas was talking about. Simms scrubbed a hand over his face and said in exasperation, "You don't remember?"

"Don't remember what?" Leo hesitantly asked.

"Goddamn it boy," Simms said in disbelief. Glaring at Leo more than ever, he quietly said, "You nearly raped Lucy West."

Leo felt a sinking sensation in the pit of his stomach and wondered whether he really awake or was he trapped in a nightmare.

Bewildered, Leo asked, "You're kidding, right?"

Simms took two large steps to close the gap between them, shoved Leo against a wall and pushed his forearm against Leo's throat to pin him there. Leo's eyes went wide with fear and he made a gagging noise.

"You think this is a joke! Why the hell would I make a joke about something like that! No, Leo, you got yourself out of your mind on whatever shit it is you take and tried to force yourself on Lucy! If it hadn't been for a couple of others coming by at the right moment you would have done it too! You gave 'em both a fight as well and now one of them has a black eye and you broke the other's nose."

Leo had started to weakly struggle to get out of Simms' grasp, but he couldn't.

Simms continued, "You remember what I told you after your fight with Moriarty?"

Leo dumbly nodded.

Jenny had started crying again and whimpered, "Please, no..."

Lucas ignored her, but pointed in her direction, "Be thankful your sister gives a damn about you. If it hadn't been for her I would have shot you like the dog you are. As it is, you've got half an hour to get your things and get out of Megaton. I don't ever want to see your sorry ass back in my town ever again, do I make myself clear?"

"Yeah," Leo croaked. He couldn't believe what was happening, especially in light of the fact that he couldn't remember doing what he had been accused of.

Lucas grunted and gave Leo one last shove before turning to Jenny, "I'm releasing him to your custody, but don't you dare try anything funny. I'll be waiting at the gate to make sure he's gone. You understand?"

Jenny nodded and whispered, "Yes, Lucas."

"Good. I suggest you get packing Leo. The sooner you leave the better because if you're one minute late I'll forget what I told Jenny and plug ya between your eyes," Simms said and left the clinic leaving Jenny and Leo staring at each other for a few minutes.

"Jenny..."

Jenny merely shook her head, unable to speak.

"I can't remember anything," Leo mumbled.

Jenny's shoulders slumped and she had finally managed to compose herself enough to say, "We need to hurry."

"Yeah, I guess so," he said and was dragged back to the Brass Lantern by his sister.

Leo willingly went along, still in shock and finding it hard to believe that he had actually done what he had. Never in his wildest dreams would he have thought himself capable of doing such a thing.

"Here," Jenny shoved a sack at him, "hold it open."

Leo did as told and Jenny began putting food, bottles of water and medical supplies in it. The whole time she struggled to not fall apart. Her idiot big brother had finally gone and done it and now he was as good as dead. The least she could do was try and stave that off for as long as possible or at least give him a fighting chance.

"Jenny? Did I really do... that?" He couldn't even bring himself to say the word rape.

Jenny glanced up at him and said shortly, "Yes, Leo, you did. When she turned you down, you hit her and then you nearly..."

She sniffed, shook her head and went upstairs for a moment. When she returned she had a leather pouch that jingled and clinked. It was full of caps and she shoved it into the bag.

"Take that, go to Rivet City, try and get straightened out, please. I'm begging you. This has got to be a wakeup call, Leo."

Leo blinked at Jenny. He knew that the caps she had just given him were practically her life savings. Jenny had been diligently setting aside a few caps here and there for years, saving up to guard against any unforeseen circumstances or for the day that she finally had gotten too old to work. For the first time Leo was starting to understand and truly regret the toll his actions had on his family and others.

"No, Jenny, I can't take those! They're yours!" he protested, fished the bag of caps out and shoved them at Jenny.

She merely pushed them away and said, "I can save up again. Besides, you need all the help you can get." Jenny looked imploringly into Leo's eyes, "Please promise me that you'll send word with one of the caravans once you get there, alright? And here," she took her .32 and pressed it into his hand. "You'll need this more than I will now."

Leo stared at the gun and then tucked it into his belt, "Jenny, I'm sorry. I just..."

Jenny's brow furrowed and she quietly said, "All the apologies in the world aren't going to change what you did. I'm incredibly disappointed in you. Leo, you're my brother and I love you, but this has got to stop. Can't you see where it's going?"

Leo's heart ached at Jenny's words. She was one of the few people whose opinion he cared about, but he knew that she was right and she was justified in her disappointment.

"I'll change Jenny, I will," he nearly whined.

Jenny shook her head and sighed wearily, "How I wish I could believe that." She looked around to see if there was anything else that Leo might need before he left, but couldn't think of anything.

Heaving another sigh she said, "Come on, I'll see you out."

"Surely there's another way, right? Can't we talk to Lucas and work something out?" Leo asked in desperation.

"No, Leo, you've blown your last chance. I already tried anyhow, before you woke up. Simms was telling you the truth, though. He'd intended on killing you. Let's just go, okay?" Jenny said and walked towards the door.

Leo looked around one last time and sullenly followed Jenny out the door and turned towards the gate when they heard an angry voice shouting after them.

"Damn it Jenny! Did you give him all our stock? How about all of our caps, too?" Andy snarled and stalked towards them.

"Andy, please don't. I gave him a few things and the caps I gave him were my own," Jenny explained.

Andy marched up to Leo and shoved him, "I'm the one who fucking hates Megaton and wants to leave and you're the one who gets the honour. So damn typical!"

"Andy, stop it!" Jenny shouted.

"Stay out of it Jenny!" Andy barked back.

"Look, I'm sorry Andy," Leo held his hands up and tried to placate his younger brother. "I know I haven't done right by you and Jenny and I really am sor-"

Andy couldn't take it anymore and gave Leo a vicious right hook punch. Leo practically spun on the spot and fell.

"Andy! What the hell is wrong with you! Don't you think he's being punished enough?" She tugged on Leo's arm and said, "C'mon Leo, get up, let's get out of here."

"No I don't think he's been punished enough! I hope a fucking Deathclaw is waiting for him outside the gates!"

"You don't mean that. You're just angry," Jenny said, stunned at the pure hatred that Andy held for Leo.

"I mean every damn word of it," Andy said with conviction.

"He's our brother! How can you be so cruel?" Jenny exclaimed.

"Jenny, it's alright. I deserve it," Leo said while getting up and dusting himself off.

"No, you don't!" Jenny cried.

Leo gave Jenny a small nod, "Yeah, I do. I've done some pretty shitty things and I don't blame Andy or anyone else for hating me. Huh, I'm just shocked that you don't hate me as well, Jenny."

"You're my big brother," Jenny's voice was shaky and tears glistened in her eyes.

"Goodbye Andy. I hope one of these days you can forgive me," Leo said with far more sincerity than he'd been able to manage in a long time.

"Fuck off, Leo," Andy growled and glowered at Leo.

Leo nodded sadly, turned and walked towards the gate, Jenny close beside him. Andy crossed his arms over his chest. He'd be glad to see the back of his strung out brother and if he never saw him again, it would be a day too soon.

Jenny and Leo warily approached the gate and glanced at Lucas who was waiting for them. He had his assault rifle in his hands as an unspoken warning that he wouldn't tolerate any nonsense.

"Well, this is it," Leo forced a smile.

The tears that Jenny had been fighting back finally trickled down her cheeks, "Take care of yourself and be careful, please?"

"I will Jenny. Keep an eye on Andy, okay? And you take care of yourself too, baby sister. I'll let you know where I am when I get there, I promise."

Jenny hoped that was the truth, although Leo had proved that his promises didn't usually amount to much. Ignoring that, she flung her arms around him and gave him a hug.

"Bye, Leo," she whispered and then ran back to the Brass Lantern.

"Bye," Leo said weakly to her retreating back when a strong hand clapped on his shoulder.

"Time to go, Leo," Lucas drawled.

"I know," he said, shouldered his pack and took a deep, shuddering breath.

"Well, off you go. I just hope you've got enough brain cells left to be able to keep yourself from getting killed out there," Simms said without a hint of humour.

"Huh, yeah, me too," Leo said bitterly and felt the sting of regret for everything he'd done wrong.

Leo looked back at Megaton one final time. Taking a deep breath, he finally made his first cautious steps into the Wasteland and into a rather uncertain future.

* * *

From her place on a high ridge, Nicole eyed the remains of some derelict homes through the scope of her Gauss rifle. Once upon a time, this particular row of houses sat on a pretty, tree lined street in an affluent suburb of Washington DC. Now they were charred husks and held only the slightest hints of their former grandeur. It was the dismembered corpses hanging from old lampposts and the tell-tale graffiti of raiders that had given Nicole pause.

Standing perfectly still, she continued to survey the houses while the wind whistled its lonely song around her and made dust motes dance and swirl in the late summer afternoon air.

She was utterly alone, but this was how Nicole liked it. She'd grown accustomed to being in the Wastes on her own with no one to rely on but herself. If anything, Nicole had become quite proud of her ability to survive the harsh realities of the Capitol Wasteland. Considering that when she had emerged from Vault 101, she hadn't the first clue about what she was going to encounter. Nicole thought that once she had gotten her bearings, she'd done quite well for herself and was now a seasoned veteran. She had learned to pick up on the subtle clues around her and trust her instincts and it had served her well.

Again she scanned the skeletal houses and paused when a flicker of movement caught her eye. She waited patiently for whatever might have moved to show itself.

That was something else she had learned out in the Wastes, patience. It never was a good idea to go rushing headlong into the fray or into an abandoned building. Patient progress was always advisable, lest one wanted to activate a tripwire or end up in the middle of an ambush.

A slow smile spread over Nicole's lips and her finger tightened on the trigger when she saw a raider emerge from around the corner of one of the houses. The sound of his braying laugh carried on the wind and he took a swig from a bottle of whiskey. He swaggered along, obviously pleased with himself for some reason. Knowing how raiders were, Nicole surmised that it was probably something depraved and twisted.

Still spying through the scope, Nicole continued to watch for others. Where there was one raider, there were usually others. Once upon a time Nicole had been scared of raiders, but now she found them irritating at best. They were usually drug-addled and rather stupid in their tactics, if you could even call brandishing a lead pipe and running at a heavily armed and armoured woman a tactic.

Her eyes gleamed as the sight of her Gauss rifle centred on the raider's head and with a slight squeeze of the trigger she fired and shattered the silence. The head of the raider disappeared in a spray of bone, blood and brains. Nicole now waited for the others to appear, which they did, shouting, frantically waving their arms about and looking for her.

She reloaded and managed to pick off the woman in the group who had just spotted her, unfortunately it wasn't before the spiky-haired bitch was able to alert her fellow raiders to Nicole's presence.

Reload, aim, fire. Reload, aim fire. It had become an action that was almost as natural as breathing.

The two remaining raiders were bearing down on her now and managed to avoid her shots. That was the drawback to the Gauss rifle. It was excellent at a distance, but the time it took to reload it meant that valuable seconds were lost while your enemy grew ever nearer. Shouldering the rifle, she took out her 10 mm and quickly assessed her foes. One had a .32, the other a knife. Quickly she decided that the .32 posed more of an immediate threat since that was a distance weapon. The knife was practically useless against her armour, unless the bastard managed to cut a hydraulic line.

Shouting their usual epithets of death and destruction, the two raiders continued to charge her. Nicole raised her gun, aimed and shot the gun toting raider in the chest, quickly dropping him. She could hear his last laboured breaths gurgle in his throat and she smiled briefly before changing targets. Two quick shots burrowed into the leg of the knife wielding raider and he crumpled to the ground, screaming in agony.

Nicole watched him struggle for a moment and then approached him cautiously. The raider lashed out with the knife.

"You asshole!" he shouted.

Nicole scowled and shot the hand that held the knife, kicked it away when the raider dropped it and hovered over the wounded man.

For the first time in a long time, the raider felt true fear. Why was this jerk just standing there? It was unnerving and he growled, "Well, go on! Fucking kill me!"

"If that's what you want," Nicole coolly replied and pressed the gun to his forehead.

The raider's eyes widened with the grim realization that she might have been bargained with.

"Wait!" he cried.

Nicole pulled the trigger and holstered her gun then picked up her pack and resumed her walk to the Citadel.

As she stepped over the body of the raider, she wondered when killing had gone from being a detestable yet necessary evil to ensure her survival to something that she had no qualms over. At one time, she had mourned nearly every death she had caused but now it raised very few feelings in her whatsoever. She had gone through absolute horror at having to kill and suffered the associated guilt that had come from her actions. After that she began to justify it by telling herself it wasn't as if she enjoyed what she did and the people that she killed deserved to die. Eventually she even shed that and now taking a life was as easy as tying the laces of her worn boots.

What had started to worry her, however, was that lately there was a small part of her that seemed to enjoy the bloodshed. The most recent incident was with the Talons outside Vault 112. There had been a trickle of pleasure that ran through her veins as she obliterated them.

"_Holding the power of life and death over another is rather... seductive,"_ Burke had told her and she shuddered at the memory of his smooth words.

At the time she had shrugged it off as just him trying to get to her, but now she wasn't so sure. It wasn't a comfortable thought and Nicole wondered what might become of her if she gave into the black and twisted part of her heart that now seemed to crave murder.

With Burke's purring voice still echoing inside her mind, she began to feel frightened that he might possibly understand her better than she understood herself.

Nicole growled and shoved the nagging doubts in her head away and fixed her eyes on the Citadel that was now looming large on the horizon. Distance was deceptive in the Wasteland, Nicole had found. Something that seemed quite nearby would often be miles away, and it felt as if your destination was slipping just out of your reach with every step you took. As it was, Nicole guessed that she still had a few miles to go and if she hurried, she would probably be there mid afternoon, which suited her just fine.

Besides, she was ready to get out of her armour and have a stiff drink.

* * *

"A vertibird will drop us west of our target to avoid alerting the Brotherhood of Steel to our presence. We will have to work through the ruins to the Vault-Tec headquarters. Now, you all already know this, but watch for dangerous buildings and falling debris. It's been a while since we've been in an urban setting and we'll have to be aware of our surroundings. There are too many places where mutants can hide," Captain Saleen said to her team.

There were five of them in all crowded around a wobbly table, peering at maps of the area and poring over tactical reports.

Katrina eyed Stephen Richards who was the team's demolitions and heavy weapons specialist and asked, "Do we have any of that plastique explosive left?"

The burly man nodded in the affirmative, "Yeah, but we don't have a lot of it."

"We'll have to use it sparingly, if we need it at all. By all accounts," Saleen produced a metro map from under the old city map and pointed at the Vernon Square marker, "large sections of the old metro system are intact and make it easier to traverse the ruins. The Vault-Tec headquarters are only a few feet away from this particular metro station."

"Ugh, you know what that means?" asked Christina "Pepper" Culpepper. Everyone looked at her, but none answered. The petite blond woman huffed and rolled her eyes, "Ghouls. You can bet the tunnels are packed with them."

Katrina nodded, "Yes, there will be ghouls, but they aren't the only threat we'll have to deal with." Another set of photos was spread on the table. "Now, we already know about the super mutant threat as well as the ghouls, raiders and some of the other standard Wasteland pests, but there seems to be one other group that we need to keep an eye out for." Katrina tapped on a photo of a group of men clad in black combat armour with a distinctive logo on the chest. "Talon Company. It's a merc group that is notorious for doing away with anyone that doesn't wear their own insignia."

Buddy Carlson lit up a cigarette and snorted, "Oh please, surely they won't dare start shit with us."

Katrina glared at the self obsessed sniper cum medic and said, "Yes, they would." She shoved a few reports at him and continued, "They show no mercy and they obviously have a death wish or else they wouldn't brazenly attack heavily armed Enclave patrols."

"What about the Brotherhood of Steel?" Pepper asked as she perused the photos.

"They are present but by all accounts they've had to resort to recruiting from the civilian population. The Brotherhood here is stretched thin and therefore it is not considered likely that we will encounter any of their patrols. They seem far too occupied guarding the GNR building, overseeing the running of Project Purity and the distribution of water amongst the Wasteland inhabitants."

"So why the hell are we having to do this," Buddy griped. "I could really care less to take a Sunday stroll through the DC Ruins."

"Our mission is to access the mainframe at the Vault-Tec headquarters and retrieve any and all information pertaining to the location of a G.E.C.K." Saleen said in her most authoritative voice.

Finally the last member of the group, Jeremy Davis spoke out, "Whoa, wait, the _Vault-Tec mainframe_?" Being the team's main techie and hacker, this was unwelcome news to him.

"Is there a problem, Jeremy?" Katrina asked.

"Is there a problem? Is there a problem, she asks!" he exclaimed and flailed. "This is Vault-Tec, folks. We're not just going to waltz in there and take what we want. You do know that, right?"

Katrina crossed her arms over her chest and nodded, "Yes, Jeremy, I'm fully aware that there might be a few difficulties."

"This thing is going to be under heavy security measures. I wouldn't be shocked to find turrets and a few Protectrons or Sentry Bots. Then, once we get past all that, there's no telling what kind of firewalls they've put in place on the mainframe itself."

Stephen chuckled, "C'mon Germs. I haven't seen a system yet you weren't able to break." He suddenly got a wicked gleam in his eye and teased, "Aw, you know what? I think ol' Germs has a case of cold feet. You afraid of heading into the Ruins, Germy Germs?"

Being the youngest and newest member of the group, Jeremy was often picked on and he frowned, "No I'm not! I'm just pointing out what we're going to be up against! And don't call me that!"

Buddy snickered and taunted, "Aw poor baby Germs, all scared of a few muties. If you're lucky maybe Pepper will hold your hand. You'd like that, wouldn't you Germs?"

Pepper glared at Buddy and Stephen, went over to wrap an arm around Jeremy's shoulders and scolded, "You two stop being so mean! He's not been doing this as long as we have."

Jeremy coloured up, shook his head and stammered, "N-no, I haven't." He then added petulantly, "And I'm not afraid of the mutants!"

"Enough nonsense!" Katrina snapped and pinched the bridge of her nose. "You're all here because you all showed skill and ability above those of your peers! I don't doubt that Jeremy will make us proud considering his record. Now Stephen and Buddy, if you will oh so kindly stop acting like playground bullies it would be greatly appreciated. If not, I'll be sure to put you two at the front when we're going through the Ruins with targets plastered to your foreheads! Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, ma'am," Stephen replied, sounding like a scolded child.

"Yes, Kitty," Buddy tartly replied.

Katrina's lips pursed at the use of her nickname. It had been one she was given while still a young private and, at the time, had no qualms at being called that. She was older now and in charge of her own team and it seemed incredibly unprofessional for them to address her in such a way.

"That's Captain to you when we're working and Katrina when we're not," she glared at Buddy.

"Yes, _ma'am_," he all but snarled. Buddy hated being under Katrina's leadership if for no other reason than he believed that he should have been named the leader of Gamma Squad when their previous captain met his rather untimely, and messy, end.

"We will depart at 0800 hours tomorrow morning, so I suggest you all spend the rest of the evening preparing and getting an early night." Katrina eyed each of them in turn.

"Yes, Captain," they said more or less in unison and Katrina turned on her heel to leave.

As soon as her footsteps died away Buddy muttered, "Bitch."

"Will you give it a rest, Buddy?" Pepper snapped. "She's just doing her job."

"Yeah, well I remember when she wasn't so damn uppity! Hell, she used to be fun," he stubbed out his cigarette.

"Fun, huh?" Jeremy said. He couldn't even begin to imagine Captain Saleen doing anything remotely fun.

Stephen nodded, "That was a while back now, though. Besides Buddy, you know she went through hell a few years ago."

"She!?" Buddy lit another cigarette and took a deep drag of it, "We all went through hell, not just her!"

Pepper shook her head, "Do we have to talk about this?"

"Talk about what?" Jeremy asked. The others in the squad had been working together for over five years where he'd only recently joined them. It often made him feel as if he were on the outside looking in. Buddy made it more than apparent that he was not welcome and Stephen seemed rather indifferent to his presence. The only one who had tried to be even remotely friendly was Pepper.

"Well?" he insisted.

The other three exchanged knowing looks and finally Pepper reluctantly spoke, "Gamma Squad was a lot larger at one point. About five years ago there were at least 20 of us."

Stephen and Buddy wandered away and started preparing their gear for the next day. Neither of them wanted to hear the tale that Pepper was about to share with Jeremy. Why should they when they had lived it as well?

Pepper led Jeremy to a far corner and quietly said, "Five years ago we got our asses handed to us. We'd received reports of a Brotherhood of Steel fortification in an old Kansas military base and that they were running on a skeleton crew. It was our previous captain's decision to raid the place, take what we could and decimate whatever forces were there."

Jeremy frowned, "I take it that it didn't go well?"

"That's putting it lightly." She sighed, "The locals never trusted us although they put on a good show. They fed us, let us have some of the best homes to base ourselves in and so on and so forth. All along they had been feeding us false information. We watched the base for a while, but we never saw more than a handful of knights, so we had no reason to suspect that the reports were bald-faced lies."

To try and calm her nerves, Pepper gathered up some of the others small weapons and started inspecting them and making sure they were in good working order. While she cleaned and adjusted everything from 10mm's to plasma pistols, she continued her story.

"You see, we went in, bold as brass, and stormed the base thinking that it would be over and done in a matter of minutes. Before we knew what was happening, we had knights and paladins swarming all over us. We were outnumbered terribly and the Brotherhood used it to their advantage to overwhelm us," Pepper trailed off.

"So what happened next?" Jeremy prodded.

She shook her head, "What do you think happened? It was a bloodbath. You weren't with us long enough to see it, but the Midwestern Brotherhood outfits don't generally take any prisoners and those they do take aren't exactly treated fairly. They pretty much mowed us down where we stood." Her brow furrowed and she softly said, "We lost a lot of good people that day."

Jeremy was silent for a while and then asked, "So the captain was there?"

"Oh yes, we all were, but she wasn't captain then. She was just a grunt like the rest of us, but it wasn't long after that Kitty got promoted to captain, seeing that Captain Barker ended up dead as well." Her eyes flicked towards Buddy and Stephen and she lowered her voice, "And in spite of what Buddy says, she deserved it. In the middle of all that chaos, she was doing what she could to pull people out of there. Buddy did what snipers do best. He found a place to hide and rode out the storm while taking pot shots at the Brotherhood."

"How many of you made it out alive?" Jeremy asked.

Pepper frowned again, "Out of 20 of us, there was only nine left."

"Christ," Jeremy breathed.

"Yeah, after that we lost a few more. A couple went AWOL one night, another just couldn't hack it anymore and she killed herself, some requested transfers," Pepper shrugged.

Jeremy turned an empty crate upside down and sat on it and watched Pepper's nimble fingers disassemble a 10mm to replace its firing pin, "How come they never sent any reinforcements?"

"There weren't any to send. If you haven't noticed, we're stretched as thin as the Brotherhood is. Over the past 30 years or so the Enclave has suffered some major defeats," she said and reloaded the 10mm that she had just finished checking. "As it was, they gave Kitty free reign with only the minimum of orders. She decided that if we were going to be more or less cut off from command, she wanted us to be at our best and so she's worked us extremely hard at times."

"Makes sense, I suppose," he shrugged. "I don't think I belong here."

"How come?" Pepper raised an eyebrow in question.

"Well, Buddy and Stephen don't really like me for one," he frowned.

"I wouldn't let them worry you. They were good friends with our previous techie, kind of like the Three Musketeers, you know? Josh was a good guy," Pepper said and her eyes misted up. "Anyway, once they get to know you better, things will change. I'm not saying that they won't still pick on you, because that's just how they are, but it will get better. I promise," she winked at him.

"You mind me asking what happened to my predecessor," Jeremy wasn't really sure if he wanted to know, but felt that he should.

Pepper sighed and she closed her eyes for a moment before saying, "He took what happened in Kansas very badly. You see, some people are made to withstand a lot of abuse. They're tough both physically and mentally. To look at Josh you'd think he was one of those types, but he wasn't. He was a big softie and, well, eventually all the death and destruction got to him and broke him. He'd not been well for some time and one day during a firefight with some Super Mutants, he just all the sudden laid down his gun and walked up to one of the uglies. It was... brutal."

Pepper furiously blinked away the tears that were threatening to fall. She had loved Josh dearly, even if he had never known it. Not telling him was perhaps one of her biggest regrets.

"I'm sorry," Jeremy whispered. He'd seen a few of his old squad-mates crack under the pressures of fighting a never ending war. It was never a pretty sight.

Pepper gave him a sad smile and shrugged, "It happens in our line of work. Anyways, it's getting late and we've got a big day tomorrow. You better get some rest."

Jeremy nodded, "Yeah, I'll try."

Pepper gathered up the weapons she'd just finished working on and went to return them to their rightful owners.

"Pepper?" Jeremy said.

She stopped and looked at him, "Yes?"

"Thanks for... you know... being nice to me," he bashfully said.

Pepper gave the awkward 22 year old a friendly smile, "It's alright. Don't worry; the others will warm to you eventually. Now shoo, get to bed."

Jeremy bobbed his head and went to the mouldy cot that would serve as his bunk tonight, his mind full of worry about what might happen the next day. He was so much younger than the others and he'd not had a lot of field experience, but his track record when it came to dealing with tech was unparalleled. Maybe he would be wrong. Maybe the Vault-Tec system wouldn't be a virtual minefield as he was expecting. As he thought about what he knew of the RobCo Unified Operating System, Jeremy drifted off to sleep.

* * *

"So what do you think of the new kid?" Stephen questioned Pepper as she joined them outside their makeshift barracks.

She leaned against a wall and shrugged, "He's a nice boy. A bit wet behind the ears and inexperienced, but I think he'll get the hang of it quickly."

Buddy snorted, "Or he'll get himself killed in the process."

"Be fair Buddy," Pepper groaned. She was tired and getting fed up with Buddy's attitude. "We all had to learn eventually, didn't we?"

"Yeah, and I wish he'd be learning in someone else's time and not ours!" Buddy exclaimed.

"Keep your voice down," Stephen said. "Look from everything I've read, it seems that the Super Mutants aren't as thick as they used to be around here. Maybe we won't run into any tomorrow."

"Yeah, you keep dreaming Steve." Buddy sneered and lit a cigarette. "Knowing our luck we'll run into every behemoth out there. Oh, and the ghouls in the metro tunnels? All Reavers and Glowing Ones. Shit... We're fucked, you all know that right?"

Pepper rolled her eyes, "Such the optimist. And really, how many of those things have you had tonight?"

"Hey, I'm just trying to fit in a lifetime of smoking into what is likely to be my very short life," Buddy bitterly laughed.

"You're kidding, right?" Stephen said in disbelief. "Hateful, bitter people like you live for nigh on ever just to spite the rest of us!"

All three of them laughed and then fell into a companionable silence, each lost in their own thoughts about what they might encounter tomorrow.

"So, Pepper," Buddy began with an ornery grin spreading over his face, "You and Germs were getting along pretty good earlier."

She crossed her arms over her rather ample chest, "So?"

"So we reckon you've got a soft spot for him," Stephen cut in before Buddy could say something vulgar.

Pepper huffed, "No I don't. I just felt sorry for him. He thinks you two hate him."

"Thinks? Aw damn, Steve, we haven't been riding him hard enough!" Buddy crowed.

"Cut it out! It really was bothering him," Pepper said.

"Alright, we'll try and be a bit nicer to him. Won't we Buddy?" Stephen elbowed Buddy.

"Fuck that!" Buddy sniffed. "If he can't stand the heat he needs to get out of the kitchen!"

"Buddy!" Pepper scolded. "If you run him off, Kitty will have your head!"

The mood suddenly shifted and Buddy sullenly stared at Pepper, flicked his cigarette butt to the ground and grumped, "Kitty can sit and spin."

Pepper just shook her head disapprovingly, as did Stephen.

"Oh, I see how it is! Well you two brownnosers can do the same! Aw, screw this, I'm going to bed!" Buddy threw his arms up and stormed off.

Stephen and Pepper exchanged knowing glances. Buddy was always temperamental, but the mere mention of Kitty was enough to guarantee an explosion.

Pepper leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes, "He's still in love with her."

"Yep," Stephen replied. He then chuckled, "Heaven help us all."

"C'mon, we might as well get some sleep too. We've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow," Pepper said.

"Yes, Ma," Stephen teased.

"Oh hush," Pepper laughed and started to make her way back inside. "Working with you lot is worse than working with a bunch of small children."

"Nah," Stephen disagreed. He gave her a wink and said, "Small children are better behaved than we are."

* * *

"Ah, the prodigal daughter returns," Elder Lyons greeted a weary Nicole as she shuffled through the A-Ring of the Citadel.

"Elder Lyons," Nicole gave him a small smile.

"So what brings you here?"

Nicole shrugged a shoulder, "My Gauss rifle's been giving me some trouble lately. It's jammed a few times and I don't dare try to fix it on my own."

"I'm sure one of the Scribes would be more than happy to look at it for you. It's the least we could do after everything you've done for us."

Nicole had to bite her tongue for a moment before answering. To say that repairing a rifle was the least the Brotherhood could do for her was an understatement of massive proportions. Reigning in the acidic reply that had sprung to her lips, she bobbed her head and said, "I would appreciate it."

He crossed his arms over his chest and then gave her a smile, "And while you're here, I have another mission that you might be able to help me with."

Again Nicole felt the urge to tell the good Elder what to do with his mission, but she resisted, blinked and said, "Yeah?"

Amusement crinkled the corners of his eyes, "Yes. Perhaps you can talk some sense into my daughter. Sarah is supposed to be on bed rest and refuses to follow doctor's orders."

"No, father, I refuse to be flat on my back while my troops are out there risking their lives," Sarah said as she approached, hobbling on crutches. Nicole couldn't help but notice the heavy plaster cast on her left leg.

"What the hell happened to you?" Nicole asked, shocked at the state of the hardy Sarah Lyons.

"Damned Mutie grabbed hold of me and flung me like a ragdoll. I ended up with a broken leg. It ended up with a broken head. I thought it was a fair exchange," she joked.

From the amount of bruising Nicole could see on Sarah's cheek, she doubted that the only thing she ended up with was a broken leg.

"Sarah, you are not supposed to be up and about," Owyn Lyons chastised his daughter.

Sarah let out an exasperated sigh and said, "Father, I'm bored to death sitting around. At least let me help plan tactics. I can do that sitting down."

Owyn wearily sighed and nodded, "Alright, we'll speak later. Rothchild wants a word with me at the moment. If you'd like, Nicole, I could take your rifle to him to be repaired and you can keep an eye on Sarah for me."

Sarah frowned, irritated over being treated like a child and said, "I do not need a babysitter."

Nicole chuckled and handed over her rifle, "Thank you sir. Come on Sarah, you can make sure I don't get lost. As many times as I've been here, I still get turned around."

Elder Lyons went on his way and Sarah and Nicole slowly made their way through the halls, neither speaking for some time. Sarah watched Nicole out of the corner of her eye and noticed that something about her was different.

"You're lucky that Mutant didn't kill you," Nicole said.

"You don't have to tell me. I can't believe that I let it happen. The bastard just moved too fast for anyone to do anything. I guess that's part of the risks of what we do, though," Sarah shrugged slightly and led Nicole to the barracks.

"I haven't dealt with any Super Mutants lately, but then again, I haven't really been anywhere near the Ruins," Nicole said, dumped her stuff on a vacant bed and flopped down on it.

Sarah carefully lowered herself onto an adjacent bed and gingerly propped her leg up, wincing as she did.

"Does it hurt?" Nicole asked.

"Like a son of a bitch, but I'm not about to take any Med-X for it. I'll just grin and bear it."

Nicole nodded thoughtfully and started to unlatch and take off some of her armour. It was a relief to get out of it.

Sarah went back to studying Nicole and finally said, "You look better than the last time I saw you. You've put a bit of weight on and you don't look anywhere near as tired as you did. You're eyes aren't bloodshot either. Scouting in other states is doing you good, then?"

"Huh? Other states? Oh! That... yes, it's going well," Nicole avoided Sarah's steady gaze. "I haven't started yet. We're still in the planning phase. And I'm not having as many nightmares as I was, so I'm not drinking as much."

"Planning phase... right," Sarah said, not believing what Nicole was telling her.

Nicole changed the subject, "So who's taking care of the Pride while you're out of action?"

Sarah's eyes narrowed slightly at Nicole's reticence to discuss what she'd been up to at Tenpenny Tower, but Sarah felt certain that if she pushed Nicole too hard, she would completely dummy up. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valour, she allowed Nicole to sidle away from the topic.

"Paladin Vargas is," Sarah said, damning the way her cheeks started to burn when she said his name.

Nicole gave her a crooked smile, "Oh, I see." On her many trips to the Citadel she couldn't help but notice the amount of time that Vargas and Sarah spent together. Quietly she teased in a sing-song voice, "Sarah's got a boyfriend, Sarah's got a boyfriend!"

Sarah threw a pillow at her, "I do not so shut the hell up!"

Nicole laughed and threw the pillow back, "C'mon Sarah, you can tell me."

"Just like you can tell me what you're really up to at Tenpenny Tower," Sarah shot back, pinning Nicole with a dark look.

The jovial mood instantly died and Nicole shrugged, "Nothing, really."

"You're lying."

Nicole's brow furrowed as she debated whether to tell Sarah the truth or not. Taking a deep breath she finally said, "I work for Burke, but not in the capacity that I told you."

It wasn't exactly a lie, but then again it wasn't exactly a forthright answer either. Nicole would let Sarah draw her own conclusions.

"You mean..." Sarah looked around and whispered, "You're a, well, you know."

Nicole blinked at Sarah, stunned that she would even consider that and exclaimed, "Hell no! I wouldn't let him touch me if he were the last man alive! No, he's hired me to do some scavenging for him. Burke has a taste for the rare and exotic and thought I'd be best suited for the job."

"So why all the secrecy?" Sarah asked.

Nicole shrugged, "It's embarrassing. I've gone from a hero to scrounging around in the Ruins for long forgotten treasures for a handful of caps. You know what he wants me to do next? He wants me to go to the Vault-Tec headquarters and see if I can find him some bobbleheads. How pathetic is that? I've got to risk life and limb for a toy."

Again, Sarah's conscious prickled at her. Something about Nicole's words struck her as off, but she had no proof that anything was afoot.

"I guess we all do what we need to just to get by sometimes, even if it is catering to the whims of a rather strange old man," Sarah said thoughtfully.

"He's not _that_ old!" Nicole snapped.

Sarah raised an eyebrow at Nicole and chided, "Nicky's got a boyfriend, Nicky's got a boyfriend!"

"Ha. No, I'm afraid I do not. He's too busy with Tenpenny Tower's local courtesan," Nicole scowled.

"And you're jealous?" Sarah shook her head and laughed, "Nicole, forgive me for saying so, but you really don't know how to pick 'em."

Nicole opened her mouth to protest, but it was true; she was a lousy judge of men. Instead of arguing, she merely shrugged.

Again Sarah laughed and struggled up off the bed, "Look, just watch your back with him, okay? Even if he is sending you on crackpot missions, he's still the man who wanted to blow up Megaton."

"I know, I won't forget," Nicole replied.

"Good. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to hobble after my father and make him realize that just because my leg is broken doesn't mean my head is too. If I don't see you before you leave, good luck and be careful out there. Vernon Square is a popular place for Super Mutants," Sarah said as she shuffled out the door.

"Bye," Nicole said weakly and lay back on the bed. Sarah didn't realize how fortunate she was that her father was still there for her and that he cared what happened to her. It tugged on Nicole's heart and made her slightly jealous.

That was pushed aside when Nicole thought about how brazenly she had just lied to Sarah. Nicole chuffed quietly to herself, amazed at how much easier it was becoming to bend the truth, to veer from her own dear morals and ideals.

As she got up to go and take a shower, one thought struck her and made a little self-satisfied smirk tug at the corners of her mouth:

_Burke would be proud of her._

_

* * *

_**Author's Note: **Wow, it's been nearly two weeks since I updated! I'm sorry about that. This chapter just really threw me for a loop and was a real pain to write. As it is however, I might need to start doing updates every other week. Now that I'm getting into the main part of the story, it's going to take me a bit longer to work through chapters. Thanks again for all your kind words, reviews and sticking with me. It does me more good than you'll ever know!_  
_


	11. Chapter 11

The shrill piercing beep of Nicole's Pip-Boy alarm cut through her grim nightmare and jerked her into wakefulness. Grumbling, she slapped haphazardly at the constant mechanical companion on her wrist until she finally switched it off and let out a relieved, if shaky, sigh. Nicole hadn't had a truly horrific nightmare in some time, which she was thankful for, but it seemed to her that her brain would never let her completely put the events of her past behind her. In the murky mists of her dream, Nicole had once more been forced to traverse the ghastly halls of Vault 87 and even now she felt the same fear and foreboding that she had experienced then.

Nicole lay on her bunk for a few more moments until her heart and breathing had returned to normal and then grabbed a bottle of water from a nearby table and gulped it down. She hated dreams of Vault 87 more than any others because not only did they leave her feeling terrible emotionally, they made her suffer physically. The worst of it was the lingering oily taste in the back of her throat. Nicole knew it was nothing more than a figment of her imagination, but imagination could be a powerful thing.

Finally she got up, pulled on some clothes and slipped from the barracks as quietly as she could. The Citadel was never totally silent what with the ever changing shift rotations and patrols, but at 5:00 AM, it was about as quiet as it ever got and she saw very few people as she headed to the lab.

When she got there, she found the lab oddly deserted since the Scribes, unlike the Knights, tended to hold more normal hours. Walking through the room, Nicole cast an eye over the various bits and pieces of Liberty Prime and sighed.

Nicole had become rather fond of the robot in the short time she had seen him in action. His anti-Communist slogans ringing out over the tumult of the heated fighting was something that she would never forget. Nor would she forget the way that he had sacrificed himself to save the small contingent that had gone to infiltrate the Enclave's satellite relay station when an orbital nuclear strike had been inbound for their location.

She gently patted a piece of his armour then crossed the lab to the map of the DC area to inspect it closely. As expected, the location of the Vault-Tec headquarters was marked on the map and she entered the coordinates into her Pip-Boy. Studying the map again, she groaned when it became apparent that she would have no choice but to use some of the old metro tunnels to reach her final destination.

"Good morning, Nicole."

Surprised, Nicole jumped and whirled around to see Scribe Rothchild and greeted him with a curt nod of her head.

He apologised, "I didn't mean to startle you. Planning a journey are we?"

"Oh, yes, nothing special though," she shrugged. "I just haven't been in the Ruins for a while and wanted to refresh my memory."

"I see," he said and took a sip from the steaming mug in his hand. Grimacing he exclaimed, "How the devil did people drink this stuff before the war!"

Nicole glanced at the black liquid sloshing in the mug and caught a whiff of an earthy aroma wafting up from it.

"What is it?" she asked, her lip curling from mistrust of the contents of the mug.

"Instant coffee," he answered, took another sip and scowled. "One of the patrols found some jars and brought them back."

"It doesn't look very nice," Nicole observed.

"It doesn't _taste_ very nice," Rothchild chuckled. "Ah well, live and learn, so they say."

"Indeed." Nicole watched Rothchild choke down another sip of the coffee. Anxious to be on her way, Nicole cut the small talk short and asked, "Did Elder Lyons bring you my Gauss rifle yesterday for repairs?"

Rothchild's small eyes peered at her over the top of his mug before he hesitantly said, "Yes, he did."

Nicole pressed for more details, "Is it ready?"

Finally abandoning the vile coffee and setting the mug aside, Rothchild said with a sigh, "I'm afraid that we encountered a problem."

"What kind of problem?" she asked, dreading what the answer might be.

Rothchild couldn't help but notice Nicole's anxious fidgeting and had a good idea what it was about. Soldiers often had a favourite weapon and deemed it lucky or special in some way or that it had some human trait or quirk. It was something Rothchild could never understand, but that was perhaps because he was usually safely holed up in the Citadel instead of out in the Wastes. He never had to rely on a trusty sidearm to ensure his survival.

"When we took it apart to clean and repair it, we found a series of hairline fractures in the casing," he explained. "Unfortunately, since Gauss rifles are incredibly rare, we can't replace the part."

Nicole's fists clenched at her side and she hissed, "Then _make_ a new part."

Scribe Rothchild rubbed the back of his head and said, "We don't have the right equipment or knowhow to fabricate it."

"Fine then, put it back together, I'll use it as it is," Nicole said angrily. "I'll just have to be extra careful with it."

"I wouldn't advise that, Nicole," Rothchild warned grimly. "Further use of the weapon very well may result in a catastrophic failure." In an attempt to quell her fury he joked, "Surely you wouldn't want it to blow up in your face?"

Nicole looked at Scribe Rothchild in disbelief. An increasingly suspicious part of her wondered if the rifle was truly as bad off as Rothchild had said. He had said himself that they were an incredibly rare item and she wouldn't put it past some of the Brotherhood, especially those who still questioned Elder Lyons' ideals, to do whatever it took to gain a new piece of technology.

Narrowing her eyes, she shouted, "What the hell do you suggest I do now! I need that rifle!"

Rothchild bristled. He was tired of humouring the demanding girl and snapped, "Be that as it may, you cannot have it back, especially in its current condition. I promise that if we find a way to either replace the part or repair it, I will inform you. In the meantime, I suggest you speak to the quartermaster. I'm sure she has a sniper rifle that you can have in lieu of the Gauss rifle. Now, if you will excuse me, I have other pressing matters to attend to."

Nicole watched as Scribe Rothchild turned sharply and marched off, grumbling about the ineptitude of Wastelanders. Once he was out of sight, her shoulders slumped with what she could only describe as sadness and loss. Without her Gauss rifle, she almost felt as if someone had cut off one of her limbs.

Resigning herself to the situation, Nicole shuffled off to the quartermaster to arrange a replacement weapon although she knew it would leave much to be desired. The amount of damage she could do with one shot of her Gauss rifle out shadowed anything she might achieve with a sniper rifle.

Heaving a deep sigh, Nicole truly hoped that this was not an omen as to how the rest of her day would go.

* * *

The Enclave Vertibird sped its way over the broken landscape, carrying Gamma Squad ever nearer to their drop off point. Inside the Vertibird, the veterans of the team looked rather bored with their situation as they stared blankly out the windows. Jeremy, however, nervously fingered the buckle of his seatbelt and fidgeted.

Buddy's attention was soon focussed on Jeremy's nervy behaviour. Jeremy had admitted that he'd led a rather sheltered life in the confines of an Enclave outpost and that he'd only done a handful of field missions, so his worrying was understandable.

It also meant that toying with him was just that little bit more fun for Buddy.

"Hey Germs, did I ever tell you about the time I saw a feral ghoul tear into some poor son of a bitch who couldn't run away fast enough?" Buddy asked casually.

All eyes were now on Buddy and he grinned. He always loved being the centre of attention.

Jeremy just stared at Buddy for a few moments before gulping and squeaking, "No."

Buddy flashed Jeremy a mirthless smile and started his grisly tale, "Yeah, this was a couple of years ago now and we were scouting down in some old sewers looking for this Brotherhood of Steel stockpile we'd been tipped off about. We were on guard because feral ghouls like dark, dank places like that for some reason. Seems to me that they'd aspire to something more, but I guess when your brain turns into radioactive sludge, you aren't thinking about trying to live the highlife in some penthouse apartment, are you? Anyway, like I said, we were scouting in these sewers, trying to find this cache when we stumble across this old man living down there."

Katrina gave Buddy a dark look, resenting him for choosing that moment to tell one of his more colourful tales. Considering that she had been there and that she knew what had happened, Katrina dreaded to think what the impact would be on her techie.

"Buddy, do you really think now is the time for stories?" she asked warningly.

Buddy blatantly ignored her and carried on.

"I guess this old guy was a Jet addict or something because there were empty Jet inhalers all over the place. Anyhow, I say to him, 'What the hell are you doing down here?' The old man just kind of giggles and rambles on a bunch of shit that didn't make a damn bit of sense. Well, next thing we know we hear this _sound_."

Katrina glanced at Jeremy and saw that the colour was draining from his face and shot Buddy another filthy look.

"Buddy, I'm ordering you to stop now," she snapped.

"C'mon Kitty, the kid needs to hear these things or else he won't know what we're up against," Buddy tried to say with all earnestness but failed. The childish sadistic glee shining in his eyes was a dead giveaway of his true feelings.

"W-what happened?" Jeremy hesitantly asked, although he knew he was going to regret it.

Stephen shook his head and muttered, "For God's sake, Buddy..."

Buddy grinned broadly and looked around at his teammates. Pepper looked as if she wanted to be anywhere else but in the Vertibird, a muscle in Stephen's jaw was twitching, and if looks could kill, then the looks that Katrina threw his way would have seen him meet his demise in any number of painful ways.

"All of the sudden, we hear this sound. It wasn't that horrible raspy, hissy roar thing that ghouls make, no, it was something worse. It was the sound of a pack of ghouls running our way. Now, I don't know if you've ever heard it before, but there's something sickening about the sound of their dead, rotting feet slapping against cold concrete that'll make you sick. It's all kind of wet and squelchy."

Buddy then imitated the sound with gusto.

"Oh God," Jeremy breathed and turned paler.

"Buddy, quit being a dick," Stephen said with a forced laugh.

"Well, we went running! There were too many of them for us to fight them off. All the sudden we heard the old fart shouting his head off and screaming like a girl. I made the mistake of looking back, and oh man, I wish I hadn't. The ghouls were literally eating him alive! They were tearing chunks out of him, ripping the meat right off his bones. Hell, they even went as far as spreading his stinking guts around like party streamers!" Buddy joyously exclaimed and let out a raucous laugh.

"That's enough Buddy!" Katrina shouted. "I want a word with you once we're on the ground."

Buddy snorted and half saluted Katrina, "Yes ma'am, _Captain_."

Stephen punched Buddy in the shoulder and gave him a disparaging look. Why the man had to try and push everyone to their absolute limit was beyond him.

"I... don't feel so well," Jeremy muttered, leaned his head back and shut his eyes. He desperately tried to think of anything but what Buddy had just told him, but the scene kept playing itself over and over again and tied nauseous knots in his stomach.

"Great, look what you did Buddy," Pepper grumbled. Gently she patted Jeremy's shoulder and soothed, "Don't listen to Buddy, Jeremy. He's so full of it his eyes are brown. What he didn't tell you is that he did his fair share of screaming too." She then rounded on Buddy and said, "And if I recall, you puked as soon as we were out of harm's way."

Buddy crossed his arms over his chest and huffed, "The hell I did..."

The next few minutes of the flight were silent apart from the occasional whimpers from Jeremy. Everyone avoided looking at each other and to say that the mood of the group was frosty would have been an understatement.

As soon as the Vertibird touched down, the team quickly gathered their gear, disembarked and once they were clear the odd looking helicopter rose into the air, the wash of the rotors leaving them in a brief dusty whirlwind.

Katrina wasted no time, grabbed Buddy by the arm and dragged him a few feet away.

Stephen and Pepper exchanged knowing looks and went to work unloading the few crates they had with them.

"Here Jeremy, why don't you give me a hand sorting through this stuff," Pepper cheerily said and waved him over. She knew the others laughed at her for being so protective towards him and read more into it than there was, but she was naturally a mothering type. She hated to see anyone suffering and always felt the need to try and make things better.

Jeremy, still looking unwell, took a deep breath and went over to help Pepper, grateful for the distraction of unpacking the crates.

While the others made their last preparations, Buddy was frogmarched away.

With a Cheshire grin plastered on his face, Buddy chuckled, "Wow, Kitty, I always suspected that missions turned you on but I never expected this!"

Katrina gritted her teeth, shoved Buddy forward and said, "Shut the hell up. What was that on the Vertibird?"

Buddy rolled his eyes and stumbled to a stop, "Oh c'mon..."

"You've scared that kid to death!" she exclaimed and pointed in Jeremy's direction.

"What are you, his mother?" Buddy scoffed and lit a cigarette. "I thought that was more Pepper's speciality, not yours."

"No, but the last thing any of us want or need is for him to be out here jumping at shadows! It's dangerous and if you would actually use the few brain cells you've got in that head of yours, you'd know that!" Katrina glared at Buddy. "And put that thing out! The smell of it might alert someone to our presence!"

Buddy defiantly blew a cloud of smoke towards her and growled, "Kitty, he's greener than green! His inexperience is going to be enough to get us all killed! I don't know from what rock you dragged him out from under, but he needs to know what's out here!" Buddy put his hands on his hips and returned Kitty's glare.

Katrina was well aware of Jeremy's shortcomings and inexperience, but with the Enclave in its current state, beggars certainly could not be choosers. So while Buddy had made a good point, she wasn't about to tell him that. The last thing she needed was for his ego to grow any larger than it already was.

"Fine Buddy, I don't mind you giving him facts and information, but you don't have to do so in such a graphic manner!"

He shook his head and scuffed at the ground with the toe of his boot.

"This isn't a tea party at some fancy hotel. Look around you, Kitty! Polite society and social graces died 200 years ago, if you hadn't noticed," he drawled.

"Just because the Wastelanders live and act like animals doesn't mean that we have to," she sniffed, letting some of the Enclave prejudice she'd been taught from childhood surface.

"Look, all I know is that there are damn few of us and I just was trying to prepare him for what we might see," Buddy said, feigning some contriteness. He softly added, "The last thing we need is to have someone else drop dead on us, Kitty."

Katrina took a deep breath and smoothed her hair back. She knew that he'd just played her for a fool, using her guilt at not being able to save more of their comrades against her.

"Alright, alright, just think a bit before you open your big fat mouth," she huffed. "And stop calling me Kitty damn it! I've told you God only knows how many times that while we're out in the field you are to address me as Captain!"

"Yes, ma'am, Captain," he saluted, winked and went to join the others.

Sighing in exasperation, Katrina then called out, "Buddy?"

He looked back at her, "Yeah?"

Katrina trotted over, snatched the cigarette from his lips, dropped it on the ground and stamped on it, "If I have to warn you about smoking again, I'll put your cigs and lighter where the sun doesn't shine."

Buddy watched bemusedly as Katrina huffily marched away before following her. There was a small part of him that momentarily regretted that they were no longer together. Although their relationship could hardly have been called sweet or cuddly, it was certainly fiery and passionate. He had counted himself lucky that he'd been one of the few that had been allowed to see that side of Kitty.

"Is everyone ready to leave?" Katrina asked as she approached the others.

"Ready when you are, ma'am," Pepper trilled and lightly rested her hands on the grips of her twin plasma pistols.

"Let's lock and load," Stephen said happily. It had been a while since they'd seen any action and he was itching to go.

Right, let's move out," Kitty said and purposely headed into the DC Ruins.

Jeremy stood frozen to his spot and watched as the others started to follow Katrina.

"C'mon Germs, today's a good day to die!" Buddy ran past and punched Jeremy's arm.

"D-die?" Jeremy's eyes went wide at the thought.

"Buddy, damn it!" Pepper shouted after the insolent medic before turning her attention to Jeremy. She ran over to him, gently ushered him forward and said, "Again, ignore him. He's an idiot of the highest degree."

"Heh," Jeremy forced a laugh and reluctantly fell into step next to Pepper. After a few minutes he said, "Pepper, can I ask you a question?"

She flashed him a smile and said, "Of course you can, shoot."

"That story of Buddy's... did that really happen?" Jeremy asked, his eyes darting around taking in his surroundings.

Pepper sighed and scowled, "Look, the Wasteland is a pretty damn harsh place. There are all sorts of horrible things lurking in dark shadows waiting for someone who isn't paying enough attention to what's going on around them. To answer your question, yes, it really happened."

"Great," he groaned and started imagining himself dying a hundred horrible ways.

She put a hand on his shoulder to stop him, made him look her in the eyes and said, "Just stick close, keep your eyes peeled and your gun at the ready and you'll be fine, ok? We've all got each other's backs, in spite of the impression Buddy might give you. Now come on, they're leaving us behind."

Pepper trotted ahead of Jeremy and laughingly called back over her shoulder, "We don't want them having all the fun, now do we?"

Jeremy frowned, took his rifle from his back, released the safety and grumbled, "Right, _fun._"

Taking one last nervous glance around, he ran to catch up with the others before whatever horrors that resided in the crumbling buildings and structures of the DC Ruins decided to come for him.

* * *

Stumbling through the gates of the Metro Junction tunnel she had just travelled through, Nicole squinted against the harsh midday sun and collapsed on the steps that led up to Vernon Square. The journey through the tunnels had been fairly uneventful, which she was incredibly thankful for and it hadn't been until the past half hour that she had encountered any problems.

In hindsight, she knew she jinxed herself when she thought how easy the journey had been. No sooner had the thought crossed her mind that she heard the tell-tale call of a ghoul. The ghoul was still a distance down the tunnel from her, so she decided to give her new sniper rifle a try only to regret it. Carefully she lined up the shot, aiming for the walking corpse's head, and pulled the trigger. However, instead of the ghoul's head disappearing into a spray of rotting flesh, bone and blood, the bullet merely grazed by it and ricocheted off the tunnel wall.

The ghoul turned towards her, made another hissy roar and then ran for her. She had enough time to drop the sniper rifle and get her plasma rifle. By the time she had taken the safety off, the ghoul was nearly on top of her and she fired a quick succession of plasma bolts into the charging ghoul. Because of her close proximity to her target, the ghoul was not turned into a green puddle of goo, but instead it exploded.

Nicole frowned at the remains of the ghoul on her armour before idly swiping at it, only to succeed in smearing it. Staring at the mess, Nicole grunted at it then reached up and removed her helmet and took in a deep breath of unfiltered air. Although the smell of the humid, sun-baked air wasn't pleasant, it was infinitely better than that of the dank, stagnant air of the metro tunnels.

Before moving on, Nicole listened for any threats, but all she could hear was the mournful sound of the wind whistling through the broken buildings. It made her shudder. Nicole was sure that if she strained her ears she would be able to hear the whispering voices of those who had died on that fateful day telling their woeful tales to any who would listen.

"Well, c'mon you, let's get going," she said to herself, reluctantly pulled her helmet back on and trudged up the steps into Vernon Square.

Checking her Pip-Boy, Nicole got her bearings and the general direction that the Vault-Tec building should be in from her current position and began to carefully pick her way through the rubble. She had to be aware of any loose debris that might make her lose her footing. While that was bad enough, she also tried to avoid the rusty rebar that protruded from slabs of concrete.

While growing up, Nicole's father had given her access to his medical library and she could remember reading about tetanus, and while she knew that the rust itself did not cause tetanus, she knew that it provided ideal breeding ground for the bacteria. Nicole highly doubted that treatment for such an infection would be readily available and she had no desire to find that out firsthand.

As she rounded a particularly large pile of rubble, a building came into view and she stopped and tilted her head. It was relatively intact and incredibly imposing with its array of antennae, satellite dishes and rather stark concrete construction. Emblazoned vertically on the front of it was one word: Vault-Tec.

She smiled, pleased that she'd finally arrived and cautiously made her way towards the heavy front doors. Taking one more look around to be sure that she hadn't been followed, Nicole slipped inside.

* * *

"How much longer before we get there," Buddy gasped as he clamoured over a pile of rubble that had been blocking their way.

Unfortunately for Gamma Squad, their maps did not show them that the way they'd chosen to take was nearly impassable so they had been forced to climb over mountains of rubble. Even their plans to use metro tunnels had been scuppered when they found that their entrances were now lying buried under collapsed buildings. What Katrina had originally planned on taking an hour and a half at most had now taken them all morning.

"_Are we there yet?_ You sound like a two year old," Stephen joked as he carefully began to descend the other side of the roadblock, making sure that he had a tight grip on his beloved Gatling laser.

"Hey Steve, I found this for you," Buddy snarked and flipped Stephen off before jumping to the ground.

Stephen shook his head and let out a low rumble of amusement. Although Buddy could be an ass, he was usually good for a laugh or two.

Already on the ground and waiting for the others, Katrina sighed at Stephen and Buddy's childish behaviour, checked her maps and said, "We're nearly there. It should be just ahead."

"How are you holding up?" Pepper asked Jeremy as her feet touched the ground.

He cautiously descended the rubble, let out a weary laugh and said, "I'm alri- OH SHIT!"

The debris he'd been standing on suddenly gave out beneath him sent him sprawling onto the broken pavement below.

Stephen and Buddy couldn't help but laugh like the loons they were but were quickly silenced by a wave of Katrina's hand.

"Jeremy!" Pepper knelt beside him and asked, "Are you alright?"

He quickly sat up, "Heh, yeah, probably bruised my pride more than anything."

Katrina turned to Buddy and coldly asked, "Don't you think that as medic you should show a bit of compassion?"

"Pft, so poor baby Germs fell down. I doubt it was enough to do any damage, but if it makes you feel any better, I'll check," Buddy said and ambled towards the neophyte, although by the time he got there Jeremy was on his feet and dusting himself off.

Katrina watched him go and then signalled to Stephen to follow her so they could scout the path ahead. Without a word he followed, his Gatling laser ready to cut down any nasty surprises.

"So, did you knock anything loose?" Buddy half joked.

"No, I'm fine," Jeremy said indignantly, slung his plasma rifle over his shoulder and stomped away to put some distance between him and the overbearing medic. Although Jeremy was generally an affable person, Buddy and his constant digs were pushing him to his limits now.

Buddy threw up his hands and innocently asked, "What? What did I do?"

"Like you don't know," Pepper muttered and disappeared around a pile of debris.

"Whatever..." Buddy said, rolled his eyes and ran to catch up with the others only to plough into Stephen's back a few moments later.

"What the hell man? Why are you all just... Oh," Buddy's words died off as he looked up at the building they had just stumbled upon.

Standing in the middle of what was once the parking lot for Vault-Tec headquarters, Gamma Squad stared up at the building but no one seemed that keen on actually going inside.

"Well, who's first?" Pepper asked.

"I think Buddy ought to go," Stephen shoved him forward.

"Fuck off!" Buddy shoved Stephen back and laughed. "What's the matter? You're too afraid to lead the charge, huh big man? How about you Germs? You want to prove to us that you've actually got a set on you?"

Katrina growled and snapped, "Shut up! We're all going in together! Now let's do what we came here to do and get home."

Purposely striding towards the building and the others following in Katrina's wake, they entered the Vault-Tec building.

* * *

A smug smile pulled at the corners of Nicole's lips as her Pip-Boy finished downloading the information she needed from the Vault-Tec mainframe. Idly rubbing at one of a dozen scorch marks on her armour, she reflected on the day's events. In spite of the poor start and the loss of her Gauss rifle, things had turned out better than she expected.

Getting through the security had been her greatest challenge. It seemed that the upper floors of the building were full of Protectrons, Sentry Bots, Robobrains and two turrets for good measure. Every time she thought she was in the clear, she would hear the metallic voice of a robot approaching her. It had been time consuming, if not more than a little hazardous considering that the floors in most of the rooms had collapsed. She had taken a few hits in the process, but nothing that a Stimpack or two couldn't rectify. In the end, Nicole had been rewarded for her persistence by way of two Stealth Boys, various types of ammunition and some medical supplies that she had found.

Once she had mopped up the last of the robots, she used the security terminals and unlocked the door to the mainframe. It amazed her that after 200 years it was still working, but here it was with its lights flashing and quietly humming. Thankfully Burke had been right and the interface between her Pip-Boy and the mainframe only required her to hack the high level passwords. Figuring out where in the mainframe the information she required was stored had slowed her down the most, but after a few minutes of searching through the directories she found what she was looking for and initiated a download.

Nicole's recollections were interrupted when her Pip-Boy beeped and the screen of the mainframe terminal indicated that the data transfer had been completed. Although it was tempting, she resisted the desire to pore over the data. Now was neither the time nor the place and she decided that once she was safely back at Tenpenny Tower she could take her time and peruse through what she had found.

Smiling again, Nicole felt certain that Burke would be pleased with her work. But as she started to walk out of the mainframe room, she paused and turned to look around her. The feeling of pride she had just had died and a frown replaced her brilliant smile.

As she looked at the numerous towers with their miles of magnetic tape, she wondered how many people had suffered and even died at the hands of the monsters that ran Vault-Tec. The shadow corporation had played on the fears of innocent people who only wanted to keep their families safe. In exchange for an exorbitant fee people could reserve a place in a Vault. Or at least the lucky ones could. Most of the unfortunate souls who had applied for their place in a Vault had been duped. Unbeknownst to them, they had not ensured their survival, but had only paid for the privilege to become Vault-Tec's guinea pigs.

The more Nicole thought about it, the angrier she felt. Even though Vault-Tec had been long since relegated to history, what they had done still had an impact today. Nicole wondered how many Vaults were still unaccounted for and how many of them might still be carrying out their experiments. Surely if Vault 101 had managed it, others had as well?

A feeling of being violated began to churn Nicole's stomach. She had been an unwitting victim of Vault-Tec's sick social experiment. Thankfully what happened in Vault 101 was relatively sane in comparison to what happened in places like Vault 87.

Nicole turned a slow circle and took in the whole of the mainframe. How much of the data and information stored there had been gained by unethical means? Not only that, how many more would be placed at risk from what knowledge might be gleaned from those records? It sent a shiver down her spine to think about what might happen if the wrong people were to find out about the G.E.C.K. and any other technology Vault-Tec might have created.

After a few moments of contemplation, Nicole took out a pulse mine, weighed it in her hand and decided that enough was enough. The Pandora's Box that was the Vault-Tec mainframe would be shut once and for all.

Squaring her shoulders and setting her jaw, Nicole started placing the mines around the computer.

* * *

Gamma Squad's feet crunched and scratched on hundreds of years of accumulated dust, dirt and debris as they made a sweep of the reception area. So far they hadn't turned up anything useful, but they hadn't really expected to so quickly.

Katrina looked at the defunct terminals on the receptionist's desk and frowned. If their condition was anything to go by, then coming here might prove to be a waste of their time. If that were the case, she wondered if Colonel Autumn would end up sending them on a wild goose chase to locate the G.E.C.K. that he so desperately sought.

They had all spread out to finish their check of the area. Pepper and Buddy were investigating the stairwells that had once led to the lower floors to ensure there was nothing lurking there. Parts of the floors above had collapsed and blocked them off, so their exploration was cut short and they wandered back out into the main reception area.

Stephen and Jeremy were about to go upstairs when Jeremy suddenly stopped.

"Hey! Give me a bit of warning next time," Stephen grumbled and followed Jeremy's gaze upwards.

"Whoa, look at that," Jeremy whispered at the sight of the huge cog-shaped Vault door suspended from the ceiling. It had 101 emblazoned on it in blocky yellow numbers.

"Yeah, you'd think being stuck behind all that metal would have kept the residents safe," Stephen mused. "Poor bastards had no idea that most Vaults were death traps."

Jeremy's head whipped around to look at Stephen, "What do you mean?"

"Vault-Tec was a sham, basically. Nearly every Vault carried out some experiment or other on the residents," Stephen replied with a shrug as if it were old news to him.

Jeremy was shocked at the revelation and warily glanced between the Vault door and Stephen, wondering if he wasn't trying to get one over on him.

"That's ridiculous," he scoffed. "What would be the point of experimenting on those who would be responsible for repopulating?"

"There's none so cruel an animal as the human animal. Besides, there were a very small number of Vaults that operated as they should have."

The two men walked up the stairs into what had been an employee canteen and spread out to take a closer look around. Jeremy was baffled over the actions of Vault-Tec. He'd heard that there was a link between them and the government long before the war, but he still found it hard to believe that the government would approve of such actions. In the end, he dismissed it and told himself that Vault-Tec must have carried out their experiments in secret. The propaganda he'd been raised on reared its head as he decided that the former United States government would never harm its own citizens in such a dreadful way.

"Hey, Germs, come over here," Stephen suddenly called and waved the techie over.

Jeremy went over, his curiosity piqued, but was disappointed when he saw that it was nothing but a broken robot.

"So, it's a busted Mister Gutsy," Jeremy shrugged and went to walk away.

"It's still warm."

"What? No way, let me see," Jeremy said incredulously and felt the shell of it. "Hey, look at this."

Stephen looked at the hole that Jeremy had pointed at and said, "That's a plasma burn."

Jeremy drummed his fingers on the Mister Gutsy thoughtfully, "I'd say this happened in the last 45 minutes to an hour.

"Hey Cap'n, you want to have a look at this," Stephen shouted down to Katrina who left the terminals and jogged up the stairs.

"What have you found?" she asked and glanced at the Mister Gutsy at her feet.

"Jeremy thinks this someone did this not quite an hour ago. With a plasma rifle, no less," Stephen said.

Katrina's eyes flicked between Jeremy, Stephen and the robot as she thought it over. If some Wastelander had just happened to wander in here, it was highly doubtful they would have had the firepower necessary to defend themselves against a robot that had been designed to fight. The more Katrina thought about it, the more convinced she became that whoever had done this, knew what they were doing.

She let out a low whistle and signalled for Buddy and Pepper to join them and once they had, Katrina said in a low voice, "We're going upstairs. I think we might have company."

Cautiously leading the way, Gamma Squad crept through the halls to the stairwell to flush out their uninvited guest.

* * *

Nicole finished placing the pulse mines around the mainframe and had retreated to the hall. For one moment, a small voice urged her to rethink what she was doing, to not go through with the destruction of the mainframe, but she knew that wasn't an option. Too many lives had been sacrificed for Vault-Tec and now it was time that their deaths were vindicated.

She took out her 10mm, aimed carefully for the pile of pulse mines and fired. The pile of ordinance went off instantly and a dazzling, crackling blue sphere spread out across the room. Nicole felt a staticky rush over her body when the EMP blast hit her and while unharmed, she was temporarily disoriented. Shaking her head to clear it, she ran over to peer at the mainframe and smiled.

For the first time in over 200 years, the massive computer lay dormant.

The sudden and unexpected explosion rumbled through the building, startling the members of Gamma Squad and making them pause.

"Shit," Buddy hissed. "Someone's trying to bring the building down around our ears."

"Stephen?" Katrina only said his name, but he knew what she was asking.

"Low yield explosives, but a lot of them from the number of blasts I could hear," Stephen answered.

"Move out," Katrina growled and practically dashed up the stairs.

Leading them through the maze of offices and meeting rooms, it was becoming more and more apparent that they were not dealing with your average Wasteland scavenger. Katrina had lost count of the robots that now lay in smoking heaps, but she was somewhat thankful for them as they served as signposts and directed them towards the next stairwell.

"Hurry," she urged them onwards and upwards.

* * *

With her work done, Nicole gathered up her things and jauntily retraced her steps back to the stairs until the thundering sound of footsteps pounding on the risers made her stop in her tracks. With every passing second the sound grew louder. Nicole snapped out of her daze and ran in the opposite direction.

Gamma Squad burst onto the Administration level and stormed forwards in time to see someone in Tesla armour disappear around the corner.

"Stop where you are!" Katrina shouted and fired a warning shot before running after them.

Nicole glanced back and barely managed to keep her fear in check when she saw that she was being chased by five Enclave soldiers.

"Shit, shit, shit!" Nicole panted and bolted down another flight of stairs, hearing the angry shouts and occasionally weapons fire.

Once she reached the bottom, she found herself in a canteen area, but the steps that led down into the main reception area had collapsed. Taking a deep breath, she went to where they once had been and lowered herself down to what remained. In her haste to escape, she lost her balance, slipped and fell to the floor with an almighty clang and winded herself.

"_No time, get up, go, go, go!" _she told herself and struggled to her feet. Nicole could hear the shouts of her pursuers and they were getting louder with every moment.

Still struggling to get a full breath, Nicole quickly limped outside into the parking lot.

Gamma Squad was hot on Nicole's heels and hit the reception area only seconds after Nicole had made her exit.

"Where the fuck are they?" Buddy growled and looked around wildly.

Pepper noticed a sliver of light coming from the door as it finished shutting and she shouted, "There! The front door!"

"Let's get 'em," Katrina growled. She would be damned if some deserter was going to get the better of her and her team.

Nicole breathlessly made her way across the parking lot, her eyes fixed on the gates of the Metro Junction tunnel. All she had to do was make it there and she would be home free. Her heart pounded a frightening cadence in her ears while her lungs burned. The muscles in her legs ached in spite of the assistance of the power armour.

"_So much for thinking that today was finally turning in my favour,"_ she thought miserably.

Just as she was about to reach her goal, she heard the broken, guttural sound of Super Mutants approaching her and she ducked behind a rusting car.

"Where others gone? Said be back by now," said a Master to a Brute. Their heavy footsteps brought them ever closer to her hiding place.

"Dunno..." The Brute sniffed the air, its beady eyes searching the area. "Smell bleeder. Meat."

Nicole's heart now leapt into her throat, but sometimes in the moments of panic and fear, the greatest of plans are spawned. Jumping out from behind the ancient Corvega, Nicole brazenly waved her arms.

"Hey! Uglies! Come and get me!" she shouted and then ran back towards Vault-Tec. The whole way she kept telling herself that she was officially insane, which, oddly enough, made her cackle.

The two Super Mutants looked at each other dumbly for a moment before giving chase.

"Ha ha ha haaaa! Found you!" the Master shouted with a demented childlike glee.

"No! I found you!" Nicole taunted.

"You're dead!" the Brute yelled and swung his super sledge, although he was nowhere near striking range.

All the same, Nicole put on a burst of speed to dance out of the way, gracefully leapt over some rubble and dashed back into the parking lot of Vault-Tec. Just at that very moment, the Enclave soldiers who had been chasing her stormed out of the building and stopped short at the sight of the Super Mutants.

"Shit!" Stephen said.

Jeremy's eyes went as large as dinner plates. He'd never seen Super Mutants before, not in the flesh. He whimpered and began shaking where he stood, unable to move, although he desperately wanted to run back into the Vault-Tec building.

"Take out the mutants but don't kill the other bastard!" Katrina ordered.

For one moment, Nicole stopped, looked between the oncoming tides that she was trapped between. The Super Mutants roared, gaining on her quickly. The one who was obviously the leader of the Enclave troops had a murderous look to her and aimed for Nicole.

Nicole grinned behind her helmet and making a show of what she was doing, she held up her wrist and activated one of the Stealth Boys that she had strapped to it. As the field enveloped her, she virtually faded from sight.

The Super Mutants were temporarily puzzled as to where their meal had just disappeared to, but didn't worry about it too much considering that there were five bleeders right in front of them. These ones were in cans too, so they would be extra fresh!

"The bastard!" Buddy yelled and looked for the tale-tell shimmer of someone using a Stealth Boy, but the more immediate issue of the oncoming Super Mutants made him refocus his attention.

With confusion reigning supreme around her, Nicole took advantage of it, and slipped away to the Metro Junction tunnel to make her escape.

Stephen laughed as he pulled the trigger of his Gatling laser. It whined for a few seconds before belching forth an unrelenting hail of laser blasts that tore at the Super Mutants.

Jeremy whined, clutching his plasma rifle to his chest as if it were a talisman that might magically ward off the rampaging mutants.

"Jeremy!" Pepper shouted and knelt down beside him, firing both of her plasma pistols. "Snap out of it!"

The Brute and the Master, although taking heavy damage, continued their manic charge, wildly swinging their super sledges and hitting none of their targets. They often wondered in their own inarticulate way why the bleeders had to fight back so much and why they couldn't just accept their fates.

Perhaps that was why the mutants let out a joyous shout of triumph when they saw the smaller bleeder just standing there, eyes wide with fear and his face ashen.

"Wake up Germs and shoot the bastards!" Buddy shouted, but Jeremy remained where he was.

Everything sounded muffled and as if it was happening far away and not all around him. He watched the Super Mutants heading for him and inside of his mind he kept telling himself to run, to move, to even scream, but he couldn't.

"Aw, shit!" Stephen put another electron charge pack into his Gatling laser and opened it up on the Brute.

It finally let out a terrible roar of agony, stumbled and fell to the ground. For a few moments it continued to try and fight, feebly scrabbling at the ground and trying to crawl towards Stephen, but eventually let out a wet, raspy breath and died.

The Master, oblivious to the other's fate, raised his sledge high in the air and was about to bring it down Jeremy's head.

"NO!" Jeremy suddenly shouted, finally finding the ability to move. With shaking hands, he quickly aimed for the Master's head and pulled the trigger over and over again. The plasma hit it squarely between the eyes and before it could comprehend what was happening, its head exploded in a gory mess that splattered Jeremy.

"Nice shot Germs!" Buddy shouted, ran over and clapped a hand on his shoulder.

Jeremy blankly looked at the fallen Super Mutants and then at Buddy.

"Keep that up and you might be worth keeping around, you know?" Buddy chuckled and slapped Jeremy on the back again before lighting up a cigarette. "So how's it feel to have some Mutie blood splashing on you?"

An inarticulate groan came from Jeremy and Pepper asked him, "You alright?"

His eyes rolled wildly as he looked around him. The coppery smell of blood was thick in the air and all over him. Then there was the smell of the mutant itself. It was an awful musty, musky smell. Unable to take it anymore, Jeremy doubled over and wretched.

Buddy's lip curled in disgust, he rolled his eyes and muttered, "For fuck's sake."

Katrina ignored the others and paced around, rage still burning inside her. Whoever this person was, they had the luck of the devil to have successfully managed the trick they just had done. Something, however, was niggling in the back of Katrina's mind, just below the surface of recognition, but what it was, she could not say. She dismissed it for the time being and decided that if she ever caught up with this person, they would regret crossing her path.

Now that they were out of danger, the others stood around joking and laughing. Even Jeremy seemed to be happier than he had been in some time while Buddy and Stephen ribbed him over his weak stomach. The jovial atmosphere was killed when Katrina marched over to them with a face like thunder.

"Back inside! All of you! We still have work to do!" she snapped.

Without another word, Gamma Squad shuffled back inside the building to see what they could salvage and to see what the explosion had been.

* * *

Nicole kept running through the metro tunnels until she felt certain that she hadn't been followed. Even then, while she had slowed her pace to a fast walk, she hadn't come to a complete stop. Worry and fear kept needling her, pricking at her heart and kept the adrenaline flowing for the time being. She was thankful for that though. If it hadn't been for the nervous energy it provided her with she would have most likely collapsed from exhaustion.

Sarah had warned her about the Enclave being in the ruins, but she had believed they were merely scavenging. While Nicole had no doubt that there were Enclave stragglers and deserters picking over the bare bones of Washington D.C. for whatever scraps they could find, something about the group she'd encountered today struck her as odd. They were too well organized and equipped to be working on their own.

Practically running across the broken landscape, Nicole tried to fathom out what the Enclave might be up to, but only managed to raise more questions than answers. The only thing she knew for certain at this point was that she had to get back to Tenpenny Tower as quickly as possible and tell Burke of the recent development.

In the deepening gloom that had started to settle over the Capitol Wasteland, Nicole's body protested at the abuse it had endured today. The muscles of her legs threatened to cramp with every step she took, there was a permanent stitch in her side now and her breathing was ragged. She wanted to stop, to rest, to quit even, but a familiar voice in the back of her mind kept urging her onward.

"_Hurry, hurry, hurry..." _it whispered.

Choking back a frustrated sob, she whispered, "I'm hurrying daddy, I'm hurrying."

* * *

**Author's Note:** The long awaited Chapter 11 is finally up! This one really gave me fits and I'm sorry that it's taken me so long to finally get it done. I hope you enjoyed it!


	12. Chapter 12

**Do you breathe the name of your saviour in your hour of need?**

**And taste the blame if the flavour should remind you of greed?**

**Of implication, insinuation, and ill-will, till you cannot lie still?**

**In all this turmoil, before red cape and foil come closing in for a kill.**

**Come feed the rain, 'cause I'm thirsty for your love dancing underneath the skies of lust.**

**Yeah fed the rain, 'cause without your love my life ain't nothing but this carnival of rust.**

_Carnival of Rust by Poets of the Fall_

_

* * *

_

_**Southern California**_

_**Summer 2241**_

_Two weeks had passed since Burke's encounter with Jessica and while the memory of it lingered sweetly in his mind, he knew that he had other matters to attend to. Although it took some work, he had finally managed to convince the Head Scribe that it would indeed be a good idea for him to go scavenging for information from some of the abandoned libraries nearby. _

_The Head Scribe was reluctant at first considering that Scribes tended to stay ensconced within the walls of the bunker. It was rare that they were required to go out into the field and if they did, they were accompanied by Knights or Paladins. Burke's request to leave, and on his own at that, was unusual, but Burke could be incredibly convincing when he wanted to be. Besides that, Burke had known Scribe Rothchild long enough to know that if you convinced him that your idea was actually his own, you could usually manage to get whatever it was you wanted. _

_Because of that knowledge and Burke's own persuasiveness, he now stood amongst the shelves of mouldering books, mourning the foolishness of men and their propensity for self-destruction. So much had been lost in such a short span of time and centuries of knowledge had been practically erased, sending those who remained into a new Dark Age that showed no sign of ending anytime soon. Burke picked up a philosophy book whose cover had become swollen with damp and thumbed through its pages. Here and there, he would read a sentence or two where the black mould that now spotted the pages would so allow. If Burke weren't so jaded then he might be angry over the sheer waste of it all, but what good did anger alone do? Much as a child throwing a tantrum, it never really achieved or changed anything. _

_Burke had just slipped the book back onto the shelf when he heard heavy footsteps approach him from behind. His hand gripped the laser pistol that he had strapped to his hip and in one smooth motion he whirled around to see the Enclave captain that he'd met once before. _

_The two men warily watched the other for a few moments before the soldier spoke._

"_Burke," he greeted coldly, eyeing the pistol that was levelled at him._

"_Captain Autumn," Burke said in return._

"_Are you going to hold me at gun point the whole time?" Although there was a hint of amusement in Autumn's voice, his eyes held a hard glint._

_Burke's aim remained steady and he asked, "Should I?"_

_Augustus Autumn chuckled and shook his head, "We agreed our terms and I will keep to my part of the bargain. The question remains will you?"_

_Burke paused for a moment and holstered the pistol, but he was in no rush to let Autumn have what he was after so quickly._

"_You wouldn't be here if you had doubted me that much," Burke observed._

"_Very true," Autumn drawled. "I assume that you were successful then?"_

"_Oh, yes. It was an easy matter." Burke smiled predatorily, "Charm and flattery can go a long way towards obtaining what one desires."_

_Autumn laughed knowingly, "You sly dog. You used a woman, didn't you?"_

_Burke arched an eyebrow. He was certain he heard a touch of jealousy in Autumn's voice._

"_I was merely utilizing the resources I had to hand," Burke shrugged._

"_My God, you're a cold bastard," Autumn shook his head._

_Burke's eyes narrowed slightly, "I did what I had to do. If my actions cause you pause for thought, that is your own weakness, not mine."_

"_So did you bring it with you?"_

"_No. I left it at Lost Hills. Don't be ridiculous. Of course I brought it," Burke sneered and produced a holotape from his common Wastelander clothes and held it up for Autumn to see it._

_Autumn walked over and reached for it only to find it pulled out of his grasp._

"_Burke..." he warned. Autumn was in no mood for games._

"_Tell me Augustus, do you know why I am doing this?" Burke asked and regarded the holotape thoughtfully._

_Autumn tensed. He hated this slimy, failed Brotherhood trainee calling him by his first name._

"_No, and really I don't care to know," Autumn said and held his hand out for the holotape again._

_Burke shook his head sadly and sighed, "Have you ever lost anything of great value before?"_

"_I fail to see what that has to do with the matter at hand," he ground out._

"_It has everything to do with this," Burke snapped back. "So, I ask you again, have you ever lost anything that you deemed precious?"_

_Autumn thought, but drew a blank and said, "No, I can't think of anything off the top of my head."_

"_How fortunate for you," Burke said with a sardonic smile and went back to studying the holotape. _

"_Tell me about your mother," he said in an offhanded fashion._

_Autumn snorted and laughed, "I'm not about to tell you a damn thing about my mother."_

_Burke closed his eyes momentarily and said, "My mother was a Scribe. She loved what she did too, although sometimes she found it stifling. You see - and I know this will come as shock to you considering what you Enclave types believe about those outside of your organization - she had rather refined tastes. Music, history, art... she loved these things greatly even though it was made more than abundantly clear to her that things of that nature were not the concern of the Brotherhood of Steel. In spite of that, she pursued her interests in her free time, which she had precious little of between raising me and dealing with my miserable Paladin father." Burke sighed wistfully and added, "She was a remarkable woman."_

_Autumn still did not see how this had any bearing on what they were doing. If anything, he felt rather awkward at Burke's revelation and wanted to be away from the man as soon as he could. _

"_I see. Well, I'd like those schematics now," Autumn said dispassionately._

_Burke's eyes flashed, "No. You fail to understand what I'm trying to tell you. While I know you don't care, I need you to know why I am doing this."_

"_We don't have time for this!" _

_It was true too. Autumn had instructed his squad that if he had not returned within the hour, they were to storm the library. By his watch they only had half an hour left._

_A corner of Burke's mouth curled into a slight smirk and he said, "Very well. I shall cut to the chase so that your attack dogs will remain at bay."_

"_How...?" Autumn unwittingly gaped, surprised by Burke's knowledge._

"_You really underestimate my intelligence Captain. You'd be a fool to not have brought some backup. Any idiot would know that, but that is beside the point," Burke waved dismissively. "While I was growing up, my mother often had me tag along with her while she was working. I became the favoured son, as it were, amongst most of the Scribes. As I got older I spent a great deal of time with them, learning all that I could. Needless to say, this irritated my father greatly. He was determined that I would be a Paladin like him." Burke's eyes twinkled and he said, "I'm sure you can understand that?"_

"_Maybe," Autumn said slowly and shifted nervously. He was no stranger to the high expectations that parents sometimes had for their children, especially from his own father who was a high ranking Enclave officer._

"_My father made our lives an unimaginable hell. He was, and still is, highly regarded by his peers for being a fierce fighter and a man's man. Behind closed doors, well, it was another matter completely." Burke pursed his lips for a moment and then said, "One day when I was 17, I had spent the day in the lab with the Scribes doing odd jobs and being a dogsbody. My mother had been unable to go to work that day because she had a terrible migraine. Or so that is what she had claimed. Truth of the matter was that my father had beaten her yet again and she was hardly able to move." Burke snorted, "He was rather clever about it and always managed to hit her in such a way that no bruises were evident. For whatever reason, my mother always made excuses for him as well."_

"_Time is running short, Burke. Give me the schematic," Autumn interjected._

_Burke gave him a frosty stare and continued, "Once I was no longer required in the lab, I hurried back to my family's cramped quarters to tell my mother of my day." His brown eyes softened and looked distant, "I should have known the moment that I walked in that something was not right, but that is one of the follies of youth, isn't it? We rarely are observant in our younger years. Anyhow, I called for my mother and when she didn't reply I began to search for her and soon found her lying in bed. At first I assumed that she was asleep, but how wrong I was." _

_Burke paused for a moment before continuing, "On the bed next to her I found some empty Psycho syringes and a note for me. In the note she said that she loved me very much but explained that she could no longer go on as she had done for years. She said that she waited for as long as she could, at least until she considered me to be of an age that I could somewhat take care of myself and have some hope of standing against my father, before putting an end to her suffering."_

_An uneasy silence hung in the air as Burke finished recounting what had easily been the most harrowing day of his life._

_Autumn was at a loss for words at first and eventually slowly said, "I still don't understand."_

"_No, you wouldn't. You're too focussed on laying your hands on this scrap of information that you don't care to." Burke let out a longsuffering huff and said, "Let me spell it out once and for all. I do not do this because I have some romantic notion of what the Enclave represent or what their goals may be. I do this because I hate the Brotherhood of Steel and the monster that they turned my father into. I hate that they effectively robbed me of the one thing that I truly valued in this life."_

_Burke closed the gap between them and shoved the weapon schematic at Autumn, "I am one man. I cannot stand against an army. I can, however, aid my enemies' enemy."_

"_Revenge is a dangerous motivation, Burke," Autumn warned._

"_No, Augustus, revenge is the best motivation," Burke said with conviction. "In order to truly desire revenge, one must go through a trial so horrible that they have no choice but to either be destroyed by it or become tempered in the fire."_

"_One schematic hardly counts for much," Autumn snidely pointed out._

_Burke waved the holotape under Autumn's nose and replied, "This is but the beginning. Given time I'm sure I could acquire far more useful information for you."_

_Autumn, although quite happy to receive whatever information that he could on the Brotherhood of Steel, still had his reservations over his arrangement with the bitter Scribe and asked, "And what will happen once this little alliance of ours proves to be more of a hindrance than a help?"_

"_Are you asking if I will rely upon you to save me?" Burke laughed mockingly and shook his head, "No, I want no part of the Enclave."_

"_Yet you're helping us," Autumn said incredulously._

_Burke shrugged nonchalantly, "As I explained, I'm merely facilitating your group to exact the revenge I seek."_

_Autumn eyed Burke suspiciously, but took the holotape and tucked it away, "Very well then. Contact me once you have more."_

_Burke merely nodded and watched Captain Autumn leave the library, but before he disappeared from sight, Autumn paused, turned and said gravely, "Don't make me regret this, Burke."_

_Burke's lips twitched into a lopsided grin, "No, Augustus, you won't regret this." _

* * *

**Hanscom Air Force Base, The Commonwealth**

**Summer 2279**

"I'm sorry Captain Saleen, you're going to have to repeat that. It appears that my hearing isn't what it used to be," Colonel Autumn drawled and fixed Katrina with a steady gaze.

Katrina fought the urge to nervously shuffle her feet and repeated, "We were unable to recover any information on the locations of any Vaults or G.E.C.K.s due to the destruction of the Vault-Tec mainframe by a person of unknown origins."

Colonel Autumn leaned back in his creaky chair, laced his fingers together and studied them thoughtfully. This news was indeed a blow to his plans. Picking up the report that she had delivered a short while ago, he perused it again.

"And you were unable to apprehend this individual?" he asked.

"They escaped, sir."

Autumn's head snapped up, "Escaped?"

"Sir, we were under attack by Super Mutants," Katrina said, irritated with how her voice had taken on a plaintive whine. She cleared her throat and added, "Whoever this person is, they used it to their advantage. In fact, I have no doubt that they orchestrated the whole thing just so they could escape."

"Did you at least see where they went?"

"No sir, again, there were the Super Mutants to contend with and whoever we were pursuing used a Stealth Boy. It's all in my report, sir."

Colonel Autumn took in a deep breath, "Oh, I'm very much aware of what your report says, Captain Saleen. I just wanted to hear it from the horse's mouth how one of the Enclave's crack teams could fail so spectacularly."

Katrina swallowed, hating the feel of the dry, nervous click in her throat when she did. "I gave the order to kill the Super Mutants and then to try and stop the person in question, but there was no time. The Super Mutant Brute and Master were rather tenacious and didn't die easily."

"There are six of you!" Colonel Autumn shouted and brought his fist down on the rickety desk that he was seated behind. "It didn't require all of you to fight the Super Mutants! Hell, four of you could have easily held off the Super Mutants and two of you could have gone after this _persona non grata_!"

"I apolo-"

Autumn cut her off, "You apologise! If it weren't for your incompetence we wouldn't be in this situation!"

Katrina took great offence at being called incompetent, but she knew better than to argue with a superior officer. Instead she tried to calmly explain one important point that Colonel Autumn had seemed to not realize.

"With all due respect sir, the mainframe was sabotaged before we were in a position to do anything about it. We were in the process of working our way to the administration floor when our mystery man struck the blow."

Colonel Autumn's fingers idly drummed on the table as he considered Katrina. It was so frustrating to know that what he had been longing for had slipped from his grasp by a mere matter of minutes. If Gamma Squad had moved faster, been more aggressive and assertive, then they wouldn't be standing on the abyss of nothingness and desolation right now.

He let out a long, slow breath and said, "I have some business at the Institute over the next few days and I'm leaving shortly. I suggest you think long and hard over your mistakes because I can assure you of one thing, Captain Saleen. If you fail me again you will be stripped of your rank and Gamma Squad will be disbanded! Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

Katrina's eyes narrowed slightly and she barked, "Yes, sir!"

"You're dismissed!"

Saluting and then turning sharply on her heel, Katrina marched from the office and she could feel her cheeks start to burn with the shame of being scolded. Colonel Autumn had been right, though. She had made some mistakes that only rookies made and that was unacceptable.

Silently berating herself for her foolishness, she turned a corner and slowed slightly at the sight of Buddy leaning against the wall. He was the very sight of the school bully waiting for his victim and Katrina was in no mood for him.

"Huh, Autumn was pissed with you, wasn't he?" Buddy sneered, sounding more than pleased by Katrina's dressing down.

"Were you listening in?" Katrina asked in disbelief.

Buddy shrugged, "I think everyone in the general vicinity heard him shouting at you."

Katrina glared at him and said, "Buddy, I swear, if you knew what was good for you, you'd stay away from me right now."

As she pushed past him, Buddy caught her arm and chuckled, "Geez, I was only kidding. You know, I think getting that extra stripe killed your sense of humour, too."

"No, putting up with your crap did that," she sniped. "And what do you mean 'too'?"

"Well, it seemed that everything from the waist down stopped working the minute you pinned it on," Buddy said.

"No Buddy, that was all your fault too. I'm not to blame for your... short comings," she smirked.

"Oh, now that was a low blow, Kitty, quite literally," Buddy gave her a pained look.

"Piss off Buddy," Katrina growled and pulled her arm free.

Buddy pinched the bridge of his nose, "Look, I was all ready to be nice and civil here, but you're determined to be a bitch. What a shame." He took out a bottle of whiskey from one of the many pockets of his combat trousers and said, "I guess I'll just have to drink this all on my lonesome."

Katrina eyed the bottle and licked her lips, "Where'd you get that from?"

"I found it while we were at Vault-Tec. Considering I found it in what I assume was the CEO's office, I reckon it's good stuff too," Buddy taunted and shook the bottle. "But, like I said, if you're not interested I'll just..."

Katrina snatched the bottle, "Don't be so stingy, you bastard!"

"I can only think of one other thing you like as much as your drink," Buddy smirked.

"Shut the fuck up," she snapped before shoving Buddy in the direction of her temporary quarters.

"Where we going?" he asked.

"Let's go drown my sorrows in my room." Buddy gave her a lecherous grin that made Katrina scowl and she said, "Before you get any ideas though, it's more so I don't have to suffer the embarrassment of being seen with you."

"Heh, suit yourself," he chuckled and stumbled into her room when she gave him a hard push.

Katrina's small room was dimly lit by a flickering lamp, its bulb threatening to give out at a moment's notice. There were only a few pieces of scavenged furniture dotted in the corners. One corner had a warped table whose veneer was peeling away to reveal the plywood beneath and beside it was a wobbly, rusting metal folding chair. Katrina's bed was nothing more than a metal framed cot with a thin, stained mattress and no sheets. The rest of the space was taken up with her own gear.

Buddy looked around and whistled, "Glad to see they gave you the five star treatment."

Katrina snorted and sat on the edge of the bed, "Yeah, real glamorous, isn't it?"

"You know what?" he asked while dragging the chair over. "I really fucking hate it here."

Katrina nodded sagely, unscrewed the bottle of whiskey and sniffed it, "Yeah, I know what you mean." Taking a swig of the whiskey, Kitty gasped, "Damn that's good. I know we live in a wasteland, but it's worse here than anywhere else I've ever been."

Buddy took the bottle when Katrina offered it to him and took a long drink. "Shit," he spluttered. "I know the east coast got hit harder than anywhere else, but it's like everything just stood still after it was all over. At least in other parts they're getting on their feet."

Katrina snatched the bottle away again, "I know. People here just kind of gave up or something." She paused long enough to take a drink, "I guess when you've still got to contend with Super Mutants, Slavers and Raiders on top of just trying to meet everyday needs, it gets a bit much."

"Yeah, true," Buddy nodded. "But they've got the Brotherhood of Steel here, not that they care what happens to anyone but themselves."

"They're doing their own thing from what I've been told." Katrina hiccoughed and continued, "They've been cut off from the west coast leadership and recognized in name only as part of the BoS."

"You're shittin' me, right?" Buddy gaped and took the bottle back, but only took a half-hearted drink.

"Nope. The guy who leads them out here decided the Brotherhood should be more humanitarian. Some of them got their noses out of joint about it and there was a big bust up between them. The ones that wanted to stick with finding technology gathered up their stuff, some weapons and armour and went off on their own. Hell, they even call themselves the Outcasts just to try and piss off the others."

"How the hell d'you know this shit?"

Katrina took the bottle and had one more swig before putting the cap back on, "Don't be a dipshit Buddy. I get briefed on these things. I have to! Cuz I'm the Cap'n!"

"You're drunk!" Buddy laughed.

"No, no I'm not... much," she sniffed but then burst out laughing.

Once the last of their giggles died away, Buddy looked at Katrina with bleary eyes and asked, "So what now?"

Katrina shrugged, "I don't know. We've got nothing to go on. Not a single clue. I have to admit I'm as pissed off about it as the Colonel is."

"You reckon it's one of ours gone wrong?"

Katrina closed her eyes and replayed the scene in her mind and still got the feeling that she was overlooking something vital.

"No, I don't," Katrina shook her head vehemently.

"A Wastelander?"

"Probably, but it just doesn't feel right. Fuck, it's right there under my nose Buddy! I just feel it. What did I miss?" she whispered more to herself than to Buddy.

Buddy rubbed his eyes, stretched and checked his watch, "I dunno Kitty, but it's really late now. Sleep on it, maybe it'll come to you."

Everything suddenly dropped into place for Katrina and she leapt from the bed, grabbed for his watch and exclaimed, "That's it!"

"What?" Buddy looked bewildered and slightly alarmed by Katrina's sudden excitement.

"That's it! That's what I've been missing! Fuck me... It was a Vault dweller! They had a Pip-Boy!" Katrina ran her fingers through her hair and laughed.

"You're sure? I mean, there was a lot going on," Buddy sounded doubtful.

"Of course I'm sure! We're looking for a Vaultie!" Katrina flopped back on the bed only to jump up again. "Colonel Autumn! I've got to tell the Colonel!"

Buddy caught her before she rushed out the door, "Not so fast! You'll stink of whiskey and he'll throw the book at you if you go in there drunk and shouting."

"I've got to tell him though! He's leaving for the Institute soon!" she said and tried to break free.

"Kitty," Buddy soothed, "It can wait until he gets back. Besides, there has to be more than one person out there with a Pip-Boy, right?"

Katrina's fingers raked through her hair again, her mind spinning as she tried to think clearly. The whiskey was making it difficult though. In the end she nodded, "Fine. It can wait."

Buddy's hands rested on her shoulders and squeezed, "Good."

Giving her a wicked grin and a wink he asked, "Now, where's the rest of that whiskey?"

* * *

"Burke!"

Fast asleep, Nicole's voice filtered through into Burke's dream as something quite different to what it actually was. Instead of an urgent call for attention, it had entered into his dream as an impassioned cry of ecstasy. The dream Burke had been having morphed into something that was so vivid that later he would be hard pressed to say that it actually was nothing more than his deepest desires playing themselves out in his sleeping brain. In it he could feel Nicole writhing against him, taste the salty tang of sweat on her skin, and smell the musky scent that hung in the air around them.

In his dream, Burke felt the elation of triumph. For so long he'd wanted Nicole and yet he'd been held at arm's length. He had once told her that if he wanted something enough he would take it, but Nicole had been the rare exception to the rule. Burke, being a patient man, bided his time knowing that Nicole would eventually succumb to his will. The waiting had been nearly torturous, but oh how much sweeter it made the victory to know that she had submitted herself to him because she wanted to.

Nicole straddled him and he looked up at her, drinking in every inch of her body and running his hands over her creamy skin. With a little laugh and a shake of her head, Nicole's hair tumbled down in a cascade of rich, brown waves over her shoulders. Burke looked into her eyes and pulled her down for a kiss. Amused, Nicole let out another throaty chuckle and happily pressed her body against his and gave him a coquettish smile while batting her sooty lashes at him in an almost bashful fashion.

Burke studied her face, every line and feature, until his eyes settled on her mouth. Nicole's full, soft lips were so enticing that Burke gently placed his hands on either side of her face and raised his head so that he might claim them with a passionate kiss.

Less than a breath away and with their lips about to touch, Nicole suddenly hissed, "Wake up!"

Burke paused and was puzzled by her words until a sharp elbow in his side made the delicious dream dissipate leaving him with a racing heart and a dull, needy ache low in his belly. He grumbled incoherently wishing that he could retreat back into his fantasy. The dream he'd been having was infinitely more pleasant than having to wake up to see Susan's harsh scowl.

"There's someone here," she whispered.

"Burke, damn it, get out here!" Nicole shouted impatiently. A sense of embarrassment at the thought of being in Burke's inner sanctum was the only thing keeping her from bursting into his bedroom.

He blearily blinked. How had Nicole gotten in his suite? He was certain he locked the door. Still complaining about the rude awakening, he pulled on his pyjamas and shuffled out to see Nicole still in her armour and pacing the room like a caged animal.

He gave her a withering look, "Nicole. How, might I ask, did you get in here?"

Nicole waved the question off, "I picked the lock, but that's not important. We've got to talk."

His eyebrows rose questioningly, "You picked the lock? And the guard did not stop you?"

"He was asleep. Never mind that Burke, this is serious!" she cried.

Burke yawned, glowered at her for a moment before heading back to his bedroom, "We can talk about it in the morning when I will actually be awake and able to comprehend what you tell me. Good night Nicole."

"Burke!" Nicole exclaimed and followed him, stopping short when she saw Susan Lancaster.

Her eye twitched. Nicole had spent the last few hours practically running back to Tenpenny Tower and was now very tired and in an incredibly foul mood. To see Susan there, and in Burke's bed no less, was more than she could stand at the moment.

"Get her the hell out of here," Nicole said through clenched teeth, her eyes flashing dangerously.

Susan gave her a superior look and cooed to Burke, "Shoo your little pet away. Now that we're both awake we might as well take advantage of it."

Nicole's jaw dropped in disbelief and she snapped back, "I am not his pet! If anyone's a pet around here it's you! So Burke, put the cat out for the night and preferably drop her from the balcony!"

Burke sighed, took Nicole by the arm and led her to the door, "Nicole, leave. As I said, we'll speak tomorrow."

Desperate to make him understand how grave the situation was becoming, Nicole leapt in front of him and forced him to look at her.

"The Enclave, Burke. They turned up while I was there," she said quietly, her blue eyes searching his brown. She couldn't help but notice that they widened slightly.

Without looking away from Nicole, Burke called out, "Susan, I'm afraid there's been a change of plans. I have important business to attend to."

Susan jumped from the bed like a coiled spring, pulled on Burke's discarded shirt that lay in a crumpled heap on the floor and stormed to where Burke and Nicole stood. Nicole's ability to wrap Burke around her finger was starting to wear on Susan. This was the second time that Burke had ordered her to leave all because his precious Vaultie had wanted it. Why he had become so fascinated by her, she could not understand. From what Susan had been told the girl was a tease and it had been Nicole's prudish reluctance to give Burke what he wanted that drove him back to Susan's arms time and time again. Susan found it highly annoying that he made it more than obvious that he'd much rather be with Nicole, but she was no fool either. Susan had seen the way Nicole looked at Burke when she thought no one was looking. It was only a matter of time before Nicole gave in, effectively taking away Susan's best paying customer.

Susan raged, "You're going to do what this little bitch wants you to do!? I don't believe this!"

"Go," Burke ordered.

Susan's foot stamped the floor like a child throwing a tantrum, "No! I am not going to leave because some little girl playing soldier is demanding that I go!"

Perhaps it was her weariness or the unrelenting fear that the arrival of the Enclave had stirred up within her, but Nicole's rationality snapped. A rather horrible smile twisted Nicole's features and without warning, she punched Susan squarely in the nose. Thankfully for Susan, Nicole had removed her gauntlets and gloves while picking the lock to Burke's door. All she ended up with was a bloody nose, but Susan's howling and indignant cursing still pleased Nicole no end and she continued to smile the same eerie, feral smile.

"Get rid of her Burke, or I'll throw her ass out of here myself," Nicole said far more calmly than seemed appropriate and her eyes held a wild look that unnerved Burke.

At first Burke had been amused by Nicole and Susan's little war, but now it was becoming bothersome. Their fighting made no sense to him and he wasn't even fully sure of what was at the heart of it. As far as he was aware, Susan's only true interest in him was that it irked Nicole immensely to know that he had slept with her. Nicole, while never openly admitting or denying that she had any feelings for him, had insisted that she would never allow him to have his wicked way with her. As it was, Burke had grown incredibly bored of it all and wished to end it once and for all.

His lips pressed together in a thin, displeased line as he gathered up Susan's clothes and then shoved them at her, "I am afraid what Nicole has to tell me is far more pressing than any of the insipid things you might say to me."

Nicole, feeling triumphant and slightly buoyed by yet again coming out on top, went to wait for Burke on the balcony, a supercilious smile tugging at her lips as she did. Her smile grew as she listened to Susan's ongoing tirade about Burke's going soft and Nicole's treading on her territory. As far as Nicole was concerned, Burke was still the same cold-hearted bastard she'd met over two years ago and she had no intention or desire to take on the mantle of Tenpenny Tower's resident harlot.

Eventually Burke escorted a still cursing Susan out. He hoped that Susan's exit might go some way towards easing the tension that hung heavy in the air, although with the news that Nicole was bringing he doubted that it would improve.

Once the door was shut, he poured himself a drink and quickly downed it then joined Nicole out on the balcony, intent on hearing her report. Burke had completely missed the look of contemptuous rage in her eyes and obliviously began to ask her what had happened.

"So, the Encla-"

Burke's words were cut off when Nicole lashed out to deliver a vicious slap, but he caught her wrist and gripped it tightly. Nicole let out a frustrated catty growl that turned into a pained whimper when Burke squeezed.

Burke's dark eyes burned and he smoothly said, "You should count yourself incredibly lucky that I am a patient man, Nicole. I have humoured you, given you a fairly long leash and have allowed you to get away with far more than I should have."

"You promised," Nicole said darkly, her voice sounding strained. "You promised not to go to her again."

"If you will recall, I promised you nothing, Nicole," his voice was low and deadly.

Nicole's mouth shut with a snap. It was true; he had never said that he agreed with her childish request. Struggling to pull her wrist away from Burke's vicelike grip she snarled, "Let me go!"

"You're not going to do anything foolish, are you?" he squeezed her wrist again for emphasis and smiled when he felt her bones grind.

Nicole bit her lip to stifle a cry of pain. She wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of knowing that he had hurt her. Instead she merely shook her head.

"I didn't hear you," Burke said and held fast, twisting her wrist slightly.

"No... OUCH! Let me go you son of a bitch!" Nicole venomously spat at Burke.

"As you wish," he said with an oily little smile twitching the corners of his mouth upwards.

Nicole rubbed her wrist and glared daggers at Burke before marching towards the door, refusing to give him the last word.

"Where are you going? You said we had urgent matters to discuss! In fact, you deemed it so important that you went to the trouble of breaking into my room!" Burke snarled as he followed her.

Nicole threw her arms up and haughtily said, "I cannot talk to you when you're like this. It's late and I'm tired. It can wait until morning."

Burke gritted his teeth. Weariness was not the reason why she was leaving and Burke was fully aware of that. She was avoiding another uncomfortable situation instead of dealing with it head on. He was growing increasingly tired of Nicole running both hot and cold, of her fits of jealousy and then her denying that she had any interest in him when it was a plain as the nose on her face.

"And your running away has absolutely nothing to do with your anger at finding Susan here tonight, I'm sure." Burke crossed his arms over his chest and casually asked, "Tell me Nicole, when are you going to stop letting your long-dead father run your life?"

Nicole froze, her hand on the doorknob, uncertain how to react.

A corner of his mouth quirked upwards. His words had obviously made an impact on one of the walls that she hid behind.

Burke cajoled her again and said, "That is why you're leaving, isn't it? Daddy Dearest wouldn't approve of what you might do or whom you might do it with?"

He had yet again pinned down her true reasons for what she was doing and it worried her. Barely looking over her shoulder, Nicole finally said, "My father was a good man. And I make my own decisions in life!"

Burke heard the hesitation in her voice. Her carefully built defences were starting to crumble against his slow attack. He cautiously approached her as if she were a frightened bird that might suddenly take flight and softly said, "Your father was a selfish man, Nicole. He left you without a word of explanation and he died needlessly. Yet your sense of loyalty and love for him has blinded you to the fact that he was far from perfect."

Nicole's hand fell from the door and she finally turned to look at Burke. She vehemently shook her head but her voice quavered, "Of course he wasn't perfect! He didn't die needlessly; he died to protect me because he loved me."

"Nicole," Burke practically clucked. "He died protecting the one thing that meant most to him in the world. Think about it. All those years, all the lies he told you. How much did he really care for you? If he had truly cared for you as much as he did his precious Project Purity and the memory of your mother he would have been honest with you." He was now close enough that he reached out and tipped her chin up with a finger so he could look deep into her eyes and asked, "Wouldn't he?"

Nicole's head was swimming with inner turmoil as she tried to reconcile what Burke was telling her against what she had come to believe. Her father had been a wonderful, if misguided, man and after he had died she had put him on a pedestal and revered him as something far more ideal than he had been. Perhaps Burke was right and it was time to put away her desire to do things that would have pleased her father. It was an unconscious habit she had started as a child, but without him here now she wondered what the point of it was.

Burke watched the play of emotions over Nicole's face, waiting for the perfect moment. If he were not as good at reading people as he were, he would have missed the flicker of confused uncertainty that had touched her eyes and had made her brow slightly furrow.

"Don't you think your father would want to see you happy, my dear girl?" Burke asked and gave her a compassionate look, although it was little more than a mask.

Nicole's head tilted thoughtfully. Surely her father would at the very least have wanted her to have a few happy moments in life? Since leaving Vault 101 she had found that happiness was a rare and fleeting thing and to turn her back on such moments seemed foolish. Nicole's brain worked furiously, trying to find an argument against Burke's logic, but was unable to. Finally, she blinked and slowly nodded in agreement.

Struggling to not let a predatory grin break through, Burke delivered the final blow with as much sincerity that he could manage and softly purred, "Then, my dear, don't you think it is time that you start doing what will make you happy instead of what would have pleased your father?"

Burke continued to gaze steadily into Nicole's searching blue eyes, waiting patiently and calculating what his next move should be if she happened to go in a different direction than the one he'd been gently steering her in. It reminded him of playing chess, always having to think a few steps ahead of his opponent and Nicole was certainly a challenging opponent at that. Her unpredictability had become a trait that he both loved and loathed. He loved that her actions often took him by surprise, but he also hated that these same surprises were not always pleasant ones.

Nicole's mind and heart raced and fought against one another. She knew that Burke was twisting her to his purpose, but her heart was urging her forward, urging her to do what she'd dreamed of for so long and damn the consequences. Her conscience yet again pulled its favourite trick and adopted her father's voice, but this time it did not have the effect that it had in the past. Before it had held her back, stopped her from making impulsive decisions, but now it seemed to spur her on.

With her head spinning with an almost giddy delight, Nicole's hands came up to rest lightly on Burke's stubbled cheeks. Hesitantly she brushed her lips against his then placed lingering kisses on his upper and lower lip before gently nipping the bottom one, making him hum appreciatively. Stepping back, Nicole looked up at him with half-lidded eyes and a deep blush coloured her cheeks.

Burke pressed forward, cradling her head in his hands and began to kiss her teasingly. Every time she would try and deepen it, he would retreat, making her groan in frustration. Nudging her head aside, he sought out her throat while his hands began toying with the latches of her armour.

Closing her eyes and letting her head fall back, Nicole's breathing sped up and her hands clutched fistfuls of his clothes. The urgent business that she had come here to discuss with Burke distantly echoed in her mind.

"Burke," she panted.

"Mm?" he mumbled while nibbling her earlobe and then gently blowing in her ear.

Nicole gasped and her grip on him tightened while she struggled to regain control of herself again.

"Burke... the Enclave...."

There was a snap followed by the hiss of hydraulic lines losing pressure as he started to unlatch her armour, "What of them?"

"Shouldn't we... ah! Talk about them?" she quickly said and let out a little moan.

Burke had just found a particularly sensitive place on her neck and lovingly laved it and grazed his teeth over it before rumbling against her ear, "Yes, but later."

Nicole barely noticed that he had removed sections of her Tesla armour and was moving onto the rest of it now.

"But Burke..." she weakly protested, her hands now running up and down his spine.

He sighed, kissed her and pressed his forehead to hers, "Nicole, my dear, you can tell me everything in the morning." He removed another piece of armour and whispered against her lips, "Once we're awake."

Again his lips went to her throat to the spot he found earlier and attacked it passionately, loving the way she mewled and shivered from his ministrations. Working his way up her neck and then along her jaw, he kissed her deeply and then pulled back to look into her desire darkened eyes.

"Besides my dear," he kissed her again. "The news, unlike me, can wait until morning."

Nicole suddenly became acutely aware of how irritating what was left of her armour and its underpinnings were and desperately shed them with Burke's help. Almost shyly, she pressed against him and tucked her head beneath his chin. She could hear his heart beating rapidly, much as her own was.

"Burke?"

Burke wrapped an arm around her waist and stroked her hair, "Yes, my sweet?"

Nicole looked up at him, frowning slightly, and said, "Don't make me regret this."

He quietly chuckled, caught the side of her face in his palm and tenderly kissed her.

"No, Nicole, you won't regret this."

* * *

**Author's Note: **I generally make it a rule not to use song quotes at the start of chapters, but Carnival of Rust seems to fit the situation so well. I'd like to say a big thanks to all my readers, reviewers and followers yet again. It thrills me to death when I see I've got a new review or someone's added my story to their favourites or alerts. Thank you so much for sticking with me!


	13. Chapter 13

Nicole sighed and sank further into the hot bath, vividly replaying last night's events in her mind. Unwittingly a little cat-like smile curled the corners of her mouth and she let out a soft laugh. Leaning back in the bath, she closed her eyes and pressed a cool washcloth to them.

So far her only regret was that the little sleep she'd gotten last night had left her with dark circles under her eyes.

Well, that and perhaps a small part of her slightly regretted returning to her own room instead of remaining with Burke.

Once Burke had fallen into a deep sleep, Nicole reluctantly slipped from his arms and escaped back to her room via the balcony. It wasn't that she had wanted to leave him; it was her way of telling him that while she may have given into his sardonic charms, it didn't mean that he owned her.

"_I'll never regret, the things I'm giving, they're easy to give, when you're in love. I'm happy to do, whatever I do for you..."_ Nicole sang along breathily with Billie Holiday as the long time gone jazz singer's distinctive voice floated from the recently purchased juke box. Relishing the way the hot water made her sore and knotted muscles relax, Nicole happily splashed and swirled her hands through the water.

She was blissfully unaware that she had company.

Casually leaning against the doorway, Burke listened to her for a while, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. When he had finally woken and reached over to pull Nicole close, he was annoyed to find her side of the bed cold and empty. However after Burke's initial anger had subsided, he couldn't help but chuckle bemusedly.

So Nicole would not be kept so easily.

In all honesty, Burke was mildly pleased about it. He relished the challenge she had presented by way of her wilfulness. How disappointing and dull would it be if she became compliant and, perish the thought, subservient?

He watched the water glistening on her skin and cast an appreciative look over Nicole's body as he considered her more. In all the time he had known her, he could never recall a time when she had been truly happy. Burke's conceited smirk grew at that thought that he was the source of her current happiness. Unwilling to ruin the moment, Burke patiently waited for the song to end before he finally made his presence known.

"Really Nicole, you shouldn't leave your door open. You never know who might take advantage of it," he said, his amusement more than apparent.

Nicole gasped. Pulling the washcloth from her eyes, she glared at him before sitting bolt upright. Quickly drawing her knees to her chest, she wrapped her arms around them tightly.

"My front door _is_ locked, you reprobate," she snapped. "Leave it to _you_ to exploit the fact that we're the only two who have access to the balcony. You know, I really should have locked _that_ door and put every bit of furniture in front of it just to keep you out."

Burke chuckled, "That's a bit extreme don't you think? And why are you being such a prude? Might I remind you that I've seen you in the altogether?" He made an obvious show of trailing his eyes over her body and teasingly asked, "Or has last night already slipped your mind?"

"Considering that it's you? No, it's not extreme in the least," she sniffed and then muttered into her knees, "and of course I haven't forgotten."

Burke's eyebrows rose and he gave her a smug smile when he noticed her cheeks turning pink. Positively purring, Burke said, "As much as I would love to reminisce about the events of last night, I am afraid that we still have urgent business to discuss."

"Can't it wait?" she groaned. "I _am_ in the middle of something here," she splashed the water for emphasis.

"No, it can't." He went over to the mirror, adjusted his tie and watched Nicole through the reflection. "I need to know what happened," he said in all seriousness as he picked a bit of lint from his lapel.

"Always the consummate business man," she said drily and flicked her wet hair over her shoulder. Rivulets of water from her freshly washed locks ran along the curve of her spine and into the bath.

"Well, for the most part. Although, this does make for a rather intriguing boardroom," he said and looked at Nicole lasciviously.

Nicole sighed, resigning herself to the situation. Fishing the washcloth out of the bath, she wrung it out and threw it at him, "Fine, if you must be here you might as well be useful. You can do my back."

"I'd rather do your front," a lecherous glint shone in his eyes.

"Burke, honestly," Nicole said in exasperation and pursed her lips. Shaking her head, she made her wet tresses limply dance over her shoulders. In spite of her best efforts to hide it, an impish half-smile crept over her features, "Besides, it's already been done."

"More's the pity," Burke sighed in mock disappointment and knelt at the head of the bath.

Nicole leaned forward and offered him a bar of soap which Burke took and slowly began to lather her back. His hands skimmed over her skin, occasionally slipping around her sides to her front. Every time Nicole would squeal indignantly and chase away his wandering hands. Burke wondered just how sincere her protestations were. After spending a few moments struggling to focus on the matter at hand, he finally brought himself around to asking about the previous day's events.

"You said the Enclave turned up while you were at Vault-Tec. What happened next?"

Nicole sighed as Burke continued to wash her back, "What do you think happened? They tried to kill me."

"Did they realize who you were?" Burke asked, making slow, soapy circles on her back. Although Nicole's escapades happened well over two years ago, they had made her a bit of a celebrity in the area and there weren't many who didn't know of her. Especially amongst the Enclave.

"No. I had my helmet on. There was no way for them to see my face. It was a narrow escape though."

Rinsing her back, Burke's fingers traced over three jagged, yet parallel silvery scars on her left shoulder blade. "You have far too many of those for my liking," he muttered.

Nicole squirmed away from his touch, "Stop that, it tickles."

"How did you get those?" he absentmindedly asked while still running his fingers over the scars.

She looked over her shoulder and thought back. Her body had become a grim catalogue of her time in the wastes and her skin, once pale and nearly perfect from years of living a sheltered life in Vault 101, was now marred by the scars of old wounds. It was hard to remember the story behind each one.

After a few moments of thought she said, "I think that was from a Super Mutant's nail board. It happened shortly after I left the Vault." Nicole swatted his hand away and said, "Speaking of which, it was two Super Mutants that allowed me to escape."

"Super Mutants?" Burke pulled his hand away, stunned over the revelation, "I didn't think they let anyone escape from their clutches."

"They usually don't. You see, when I was running from Vault-Tec and back to the nearby metro tunnel, they came around the corner. I hid from them at first but then I leapt out and taunted them. Well, naturally they thought all their Christmases had come at once, didn't they?"

Burke's brow furrowed, "Do you have a death wish?"

Nicole ignored him and continued, "I lured them back towards Vault-Tec just as those Enclave bastards came out of the building."

"So you were trapped between the two? Nicole..." he lightly scolded. It seemed to him that she sometimes put herself in harm's way on purpose. What purpose that might be, he daren't think about.

"I used a Stealth Boy," Nicole said smugly to try and escape being told off.

Burke chuckled admiringly, "You clever girl. Let me guess, the Enclave were too busy fighting the mutants, the mutants were too dumb to realize you were no longer there and you made your escape."

"Exactly," she said with a self satisfied air about her. Finally, Nicole relaxed enough to lean back in the bath instead of remaining defensively curled up.

Resting his forearms against the edge of the bath, the fresh, clean scent of soap and shampoo - a particularly rare item in the Wastes - wafted up on the steamy eddies from the bath and Burke took in a deep breath.

"Now for the most important question: did you get the data?" he quietly rumbled in her ear.

Nicole looked over her shoulder and gave Burke a coy smile. She grandly brought her arm up out of the water, began punching buttons and looking through the files on her Pip-Boy. Burke watched, curious that she could stand having the bulky glorified watch strapped to her wrist all the while. She obviously had become accustomed to it, but there had been more than one occasion the night before that he'd been scraped or bumped by it.

"Here we are..." she said and held up her arm for him to see the screen.

He leaned over her shoulder and peered at the Pip-Boy while a slow grin spread over his face. There on the softly glowing screen was a list of equipment for Vault 103. Amongst the air filtration systems, water purifiers, power plants and minutia, one item stood out: The G.E.C.K.

"Excellent... Excellent! Well done my dear girl!" he exclaimed and kissed the top of her head.

"Just doing my job," she said dismissively and waved him off, but blushed from the praise.

"Of course, one question remains. Why was the Enclave there?" Burke pondered aloud as he stood and started to pace the bathroom.

"That I don't know. Before I decided to join you on this little venture, I spent two weeks with the Brotherhood of Steel. While I was there Sarah Lyons warned me that they'd seen an increase of Enclave troops in the area, but the Brotherhood assumed they were scavenging." Nicole frowned, "I'd like to agree with that, but this group seemed a bit too organized to be scavengers."

Burke's elation over Nicole's success gave way to misgivings, and he said, "We need to find out what the Enclave is doing. I don't like the thought of them sniffing around Vault-Tec."

Nicole's toe idly played with the tap, "Not that it would do them any good. The only thing of real value there was the mainframe and I destroyed it with pulse mines."

Burke's pacing stopped and he gaped at her, "You did what!"

"Burke, you know as well as I do that it was asking for trouble leaving it there," she said, looking up at him innocently and stretched in the bath, giving Burke a better view.

His annoyance at her actions made him blind to the show and he shouted, "The amount of information we could have pulled from the mainframe could have earned us a fortune in caps if sold to the highest bidder!"

Nicole rolled her eyes and draped her hair over the back of the bath, "That's my point exactly Burke! The only ones who ever have that kind of capital usually amassed their wealth through dubious means." She pinned him with a knowing look, "Am I right?"

Burke waved dismissively and reluctantly admitted, "There may be a kernel of logic to your thinking."

"Then would it not be illogical to assume that such information in the wrong hands would be a bad thing?" she asked and slowly slipped her hands along the curved lip of the bath.

"Perhaps, but that is beside the point considering that you have made it moot," Burke took out a silver cigarette case from his jacket pocket and a lighter and resumed his pacing.

Nicole watched him tap the lighter against the case for a moment before asking, "How do you suggest we find out about the Enclave? And don't you dare smoke in here."

Burke's lips pressed together in displeasure. Nicole could feel the heat of his glare as he tucked the cigarette case away, "We need to go into the ruins and visit an old associate of mine."

Nicole groaned, sank into the bath up to her chin and mumbled into the bubbles, "Burke, I'm exhausted."

Burke looked at her out of the corner of his eye and a slight frown settled over his features. He'd seen her look weary before, but this time seemed worse than any of the others.

Again, the irksome desire to treat her like some precious fragile object that should be wrapped in cotton wool and tucked safely away had reared its ugly head, much to Burke's chagrin. Nicole had proven time and time again that she was more than capable of taking care of herself and Burke felt certain that she would balk at being coddled. Besides, he was paying her more than enough caps to make up for any danger she might encounter.

Quashing the annoying niggle tugging at his blackened heart, he said, "Get some rest. We won't be leaving for a few days as it is. There are some preparations that need to be made before we can go. Besides, we won't have to go far into the ruins."

"Promise?" she childishly asked.

"Yes, I promise," Burke said.

Nicole sighed and grumbled, "For all that's worth anyway."

"I said that I promised and I mean it." He then flashed a grin and looked at her over the top of his sunglasses, "...for once." Tilting his head slightly, Burke slipped his sunglasses to the very end of his nose and blatantly ogled Nicole from head to toe.

Nicole let out a little laugh, shook her head and flicked some water at him.

"Oh bugger off Burke. The water's getting cold and I'm well and truly wrinkled now," she waved her fingers for emphasis. "If I stay in here much longer people will believe that I'm nearly as old as you, which would be a pity indeed!"

"Indeed," Burke drawled. "There is one more thing Nicole."

Still smiling, she looked up at him in the doorway, "Yes?"

"You can't wear your Tesla armour."

The shift in her mood was palpable and it felt as if a small storm were now brewing around them.

"What!" she exclaimed, partially rising up out of the bath.

Burke wasn't surprised by her reaction and explained, "Where we're going, it will raise too many suspicions."

"I don't have any other armour with me," she growled.

Burke nodded and added it to his mental checklist of things to do, "I'll take care of it."

"I can take care of it myself," she sniffed. "I'm not like Susan Lancaster. I'm not some cheap whore who needs paying."

Burke paused, somewhat taken aback by her words.

"Nicole, this has nothing to do with last night," he said, but mistrust shone in her eyes. Pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration, he said, "Very well, if it makes you feel any better I can dock it from your hard earned caps."

Initially annoyed by Burke's suggestion, Nicole's eyes flashed and her jaw dropped, but the moment passed quickly.

Instead she took on a regal air, stretched out in the tub and nodded, "Yes. That would be acceptable."

"Excellent. I will let you know when everything is in place. Until then, please do as I said and rest." As he left he called back over his shoulder, "If you continue to look as haggard as you do right now, it would become an embarrassment to be seen with you."

Nicole made a sound of outrage as Burke disappeared out to the balcony, not that he heard it with his preoccupation with planning their next move. If everything worked in their favour, they would find out what they needed to know, but a worried frown creased Burke's brow. He knew that if things went wrong it could have disastrous results.

For the first time in a very long time, Burke almost felt wary of possibly sending someone to their death and it annoyed him greatly. Attachments and reservations could prove to be detrimental in the long run. Burke knew this from experience.

Steeling his resolve, Burke determined that he would not fall into such a trap. That he would not become more attached to Nicole than he already had.

Although, try as he might, Burke couldn't shake the feeling that the trap had been sprung and he was caught in the snare.

* * *

Groaning as she woke, Katrina pressed the heels of her palms against her aching eyes to block out the sun that was filtering through the filthy windows of her room. Her head felt as if it were going to explode. If it hadn't been for Buddy and his bottle of whiskey she wouldn't be in the state she was in now.

"Damn it Buddy..."

"Morning," came the low, amused greeting from beside her.

Katrina's head whipped around, setting off a wave of nausea that she had to clamp down on by tightly closing her eyes for a few moments. She had hoped that she'd been imagining things, but she knew better when she felt a rough hand on her waist. Opening her eyes, she found herself to be nose to nose with Buddy.

"What the hell are you doing here," she hissed.

"C'mon Kitty, you don't remember?" he laughed.

"I can't believe you!" Katrina leapt from the bed and started to pull on her clothes, "Y-you got me drunk and, and... took advantage of me! You, you... bastard!"

Buddy sat up, brazenly making no effort to hide the fact that he was still naked and said, "Me! Ha! You're the one who jumped me!"

Katrina couldn't help but stare at his well defined chest and arms before shaking her head and shouting, "You're a fucking liar!"

"Kitty, for God's sake, you know me well enough to know I wouldn't stoop that low!" Buddy was getting annoyed now. He might be a scoundrel, but he'd never dream of assaulting a woman in that way.

"Just get out!" she shouted and threw one of his boots at him.

Buddy ducked, "Hey! Watch it! Kitty, you're being ridiculous!"

"Am I?" she screeched and threw the other boot.

Buddy had had enough by that point and jumped up off the bed, grabbed her arms to hold her still and made her look him in the eye, "You, Kitty, were the one who drank most of the whiskey. You were the one who started it!"

Katrina glared at him, her eye twitching from the amount of anger she felt right now. Most of it was really anger at herself rather than at Buddy, but it was easier to lash out and punish him for the current state of affairs.

"Get dressed, and get out. That's an order!" she grunted at him.

Buddy shook his head and let her go, "Pulling rank. Yeah, I figured you'd do something like that."

"Don't you dare breathe a word about this to the others," Katrina warned while she watched Buddy pull on his boxer shorts and gather up his clothes.

He snorted, "Kitty, trust me, with the racket we made last night they probably know."

With that, he casually strolled out the door, leaving it open behind him, and began whistling a happy tune. When Pepper appeared from the room that served as the rest of Gamma Squad's quarters, he stopped and brightly greeted, "Morning Pepper! If you're going to go see Kitty, watch out. She's in a foul mood this morning. Although she really shouldn't be, considering... well..." Buddy trailed off and gave her a mischievous grin that spoke volumes.

Pepper gasped and gave Buddy a wide berth. The look on her face made it abundantly clear that she understood what had happened. Muttering under her breath, she scurried down the hall away from Buddy. She never would understand Buddy and Kitty and to be honest, she didn't want to. There was only so much crazy one person could take on a daily basis.

With Buddy gone, the hangover had taken over again and Katrina flopped on the bed and covered her eyes with her forearm. Quietly she cursed herself for giving into Buddy and his damned bottle of whiskey. It certainly wasn't one of her finest moments. She kept playing out horrifying scenes of him loudly boasting of his conquest to Stephen and Jeremy in her mind.

A soft rap on the door made Katrina growl, "Go away Buddy, I'm really not in the mood!"

"Um, it's Pepper, actually," the petite blonde shuffled awkwardly in the doorway.

Katrina moved her arm just enough to peer at her small weapons specialist, "What is it Pepper? If it's Jeremy, you'll have to deal with it yourself. I'm his captain, not his babysitter."

"What? No, no." Again she paused and tried to choose her next words carefully, "I, uh, just ran into Buddy out in the hall."

Katrina's lips pursed and she muttered, "Bastard."

"I thought you might want to talk?" Pepper hesitantly offered.

"No I _don't_ want to talk about it!" Katrina snapped making Pepper take a step back. She ruefully sighed, "Sorry. Thanks for the offer though."

"Well, you know where to find me if you change your mind," Pepper said and hesitantly closed the door behind her. Shaking her head, she continued on down the hall.

Katrina collapsed back onto the dingy mattress of her bed and stared at the ceiling. If things had been complicated between her and Buddy before, the events of last night only served to make them even more so now.

And 'complicated' was something that Katrina could really do without.

* * *

"Buddy, you're so full of it," Stephen snorted while attending to his Gatling laser.

"I'm serious! She was all over me!" Buddy crowed. "Why do you think I never came back here last night?"

Shaking his head in disbelief, Stephen began to piece his laser back together, "You know she's going to want to string you up by your ding-a-ling now, right?"

"I'd like to see her try," Buddy grumbled and flopped back on his cot.

Jeremy had been keeping to his side of the room, his back to Stephen and Buddy, but he'd been listening intently. It was beyond him why any woman, much less the captain, would want to spend the night with someone like Buddy. Then again, he'd seen it time and time again where the jerks always seemed to be the lucky ones.

How many times he'd found a nice girl only to have her stolen by some creep, he couldn't remember. Not that it had happened often. He was only 22, after all.

"Besides," Buddy continued, "I'm indispensible."

"Yeah, how do you reckon," Stephen asked, amused.

"I'm the medic. You guys'd be dead meat if it weren't for me."

"Like we couldn't figure out how to stick ourselves with a Stimpack or two," Stephen said. "I mean, really, if an idiot like you can manage it..."

Buddy glowered at Stephen and flipped him off before turning his attention to Jeremy who, in his effort to appear that he wasn't listening, accomplished just the opposite.

"So, Germs, managed to plough Pepper's bean field yet?"

Jeremy whirled around, "What! No!"

He could feel himself going bright red and knew that this was only going to egg Buddy on.

A shark-like grin spread over Buddy's face and he advanced on Jeremy, "No? Why not?"

"We're just friends, that's all," Jeremy mumbled and shrugged. He kept his eyes firmly fixed on a crack in the wall, wishing that he could disappear into it.

Stephen smirked at Jeremy, "Aw, c'mon Germs. It's pretty obvious you've got a thing for her."

"No I don't! She's just been nice to me, that's all!"

"That's why you watch her when you think no one else is looking. Or why you took a good long look at her ass the other day while we were on our way home," Buddy teased.

"It's not like that," Jeremy plaintively whined.

"Hey, I don't blame you. I'd be in there too if she'd give me the time of day," Buddy attempted to commiserate in his own unique fashion.

Stephen laughed, "Buddy, you'd 'be in there' with practically every woman you see. Let's face it, you're not particular."

"Pft, I have standards," Buddy replied.

"Yeah, as long as it's animal, vegetable or mineral..." Stephen laughed.

"Steve, go fuck yourself," Buddy snarked. "You're already an expert at it. And they say that you should stick with what you know how to do best."

Jeremy felt relieved that the attention was no longer on him and thought that since Buddy and Stephen were busy exchanging insults, it would be the perfect moment to duck out of the room.

Just as he put his hand on the door to make a break for freedom, Buddy shouted out, "Hey! Where are you going Germs?"

"I was, uh, just going to, uh, get some breakfast?" Jeremy haltingly said as Buddy rushed over, clapped a firm hand on his shoulder and dragged him back. Quietly, Jeremy groaned.

"Now, what are we going to do about you and Pepper," Buddy pondered thoughtfully.

Stephen snorted and jerked a thumb in Buddy's direction, "Oh God... Jeremy, don't listen to a word this jackass says. The only thing you'll end up with is a smack in the mouth if you take his advice."

Jeremy held his hands up defensively and started to back away, "It's alright, really. I don't need any help because I don't have anything I need help with."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Buddy exclaimed and held Jeremy in place. "You want to get a sweet piece of ass, right?"

Stephen looked up and made a slashing motion across his throat while hissing, "Buddy..."

"I..." Jeremy hesitated and looked like a trapped animal.

Ignoring Stephen, Buddy continued, "You want to feel the motion of the ocean, right?"

"Buddy..." Stephen warned again.

"Make the beast with two backs, play bed sheet bingo, hide the salami..."

"Buddy!" Stephen shouted and pointed towards the door.

"What!" Buddy snapped and turned around to find Pepper standing in there, her face full of fury.

"Oh God..." Jeremy muttered and went pale.

"It appears that I'm interrupting something," Pepper sneered, turned on her heel and stormed out.

Jeremy sank onto his bunk, glaring at the other two, wondering why they couldn't mind their own business. Now because of them, Pepper undoubtedly thought that he was just another man who was obsessed with sex and couldn't keep his mind out of the gutter. How he was going to repair this, he couldn't even imagine.

Holding his head in his hands, Jeremy miserably grumbled, "Thanks for nothing, guys."

And being the sympathetic, mature men that they were, Buddy and Stephen showed their support for Jeremy and his predicament by doubling over with laughter.

* * *

Looking out over the crumbling ruins of Washington DC, Leo Stahl slouched on the bench that had been moved to the deck of the former pre-war air craft carrier that had become Rivet City and watched the sun set. The jagged shadows that stretched towards the ship-come-settlement made Leo shudder. Imagination was a powerful thing and in Leo's mind he could see a horde of monsters lurking in those shadows with sharp teeth and claws, waiting to fall upon an unsuspecting victim and tear them from limb to limb.

Leo had now been at Rivet City for about a week now and was still struggling to settle in. One of the first things he did upon his arrival was to use the caps Jenny had given him to rent a room from Vera Weatherly. It was comfortable enough with its queen sized bed and spacious accommodation, but he'd become accustomed to his small room tucked into the back of the Brass Lantern with all its creaks, ticks and other assorted noises. His first night had been rather sleepless because of the eerie groans of the old ship, the hollow sound of footsteps echoing up and down the halls and the rather ardent couple next door.

He had buried his head under his pillow trying to block out the noise of the passionate pair, but with every passing moment the tumult grew. As much as Leo hated it, for one bitter minute it brought how much he was actually missing Nicole into sharp, painful focus. It wasn't just that he missed sharing a bed with her either. He missed her company, her laugh, and her dry acerbic wit even if it was above his head. Basically, he just missed everything about Nicole.

Leo turned restlessly in his bed as sleep continued to evade him. In the end it had been the need to quiet his conscience and not the sound of the lovers next door that had driven him from his room.

For the first time in ages, he had started to acknowledge that maybe, just maybe, he was partially to blame for the mess he was in. It was an uncomfortable realization for someone who had spent at least half of his life trying to bury such thoughts under a blanket of drugs. As he drifted through the rambling corridors of Rivet City, he tried his hardest to justify everything, but it just would not be laid to rest. His internal quarrel translated into a severe craving for a hit of Jet or anything else he could get hold of.

When he came to Rivet City, he had every intention to keep his word to Jenny and try to stay clean, but the physical symptoms of withdrawal in addition to his need to try and ignore the guilt he felt was too much for him to bear. Utterly lost in the bowels of the ship and desperate, Leo muttered a fevered prayer to the god of addiction for anything that might make his pain go away.

And as Leo wandered the halls on that first lonely night, he received the grim answer to his prayer when he bumped into Paulie Cantelli.

Paulie and his wife Cindy just happened to run A Quick Fix, Rivet City's drug emporium. Anyone who'd been in Rivet City for any length of time knew that it was really Cindy who did all the work, though. She couldn't allow Paulie anywhere near their stock for fear that he'd raid it and clean it out, leaving them destitute. Paulie was a notorious Psycho addict, and since Cindy wouldn't allow him anything from the shop nor give him any of the profits, Paulie had taken to begging residents for his drug of choice although, in all honesty, he'd take whatever people were willing to give him.

Quickly realizing that they were birds of a feather, Paulie and Leo became fast friends, spending most of their time together, not that they would remember. Their memories were severely fogged since they were usually under the influence of some chemical or other.

In fact, that was what had brought Leo out to the flight deck. Paulie had told Leo that he had a surprise for him and to meet him up here. They had discovered that it was an ideal place to indulge their habits since it wasn't often that anyone went up on deck.

Leo leaned back and grumbled as the late summer evening sent a chill through him. It was nearly dark and there was still no sign of Paulie. Quietly cursing under his breath, Leo stood to leave but just as he was about to go, Paulie stumbled onto the deck.

"Leo! My man, how are you?" Paulie warmly greeted and flashed Leo a toothy smile.

Leo sank back onto the bench and shrugged, "Yeah, I'm alright. Where the hell have you been? I've been up here for ages."

Paulie plonked himself on the bench next to Leo and grumbled, "Cindy was being a bitch again. She accused me of lifting something from the shop."

Leo snorted, "Well did you?"

"Aw, c'mon Leo, what kind of man do you take me for?" Paulie grinned, "Of course I took a few things when she wasn't looking."

Both Leo and Paulie laughed.

"Seriously though Leo, don't ever get hitched. Women, once you marry them, are more trouble than they're worth." Paulie slipped one of his pilfered syringes of Psycho from a pocket, jabbed the needle into a vein and hit the plunger. Once done he leaned back against the bench and waited for the cocktail to hit his system.

"Cindy used to be a real tiger in the sack. Couldn't get enough, she couldn't. That woman... she had me absolutely crazy. So what did I do? I went and fucking married her." Paulie spat out the word "married" as if it were the most offensive term in the English language. "After that, well, she changed. Got all uptight about my little hobby, didn't she? 'Paulie you need to get clean, Paulie you need to do this, Paulie you need to do that...' It's not like the bitch never used the shit herself, you know?"

Leo nodded, "Yeah, I know how that goes."

"Yeah? You were married?" Paulie looked surprised by the revelation.

"No, no, no," Leo said and shook his head and stared off into the distance. "We weren't married, but damn well close enough to it. Dark hair, blue eyes... God she had a body like you wouldn't believe. Nicole was her name," Leo sighed wistfully.

"So what happened to her?" Paulie asked, but not really caring now that the Psycho was coursing through his veins.

"The bitch upped stakes and pissed off to work for some rich bastard at Tenpenny Tower," Leo said bitterly.

Paulie's head lolled so he could look at Leo. With a wicked smirk he asked, "_Work_ work or work?"

Leo's head snapped around and he glared at Paulie, "Legitimate work! Nicky wouldn't stoop that low. Hell, she was pretty much considered a saint by a lot of folks. Nah, she wouldn't earn her caps by lying on her back just so some old codger could get his rocks off." Leo shook his head and said, "Tell you this much; if she'd been here and heard you suggest that, you'd be in a world of hurt right about now."

Paulie snickered, "Oh... a bit of a masochist, huh? Damn Leo, what's that say about you?"

"Piss off Paulie," Leo growled. "She wasn't like that at all. And neither am I, not that it's any business of yours." Paulie roared with laughter but Leo was lost in thought. After a few minutes Leo frowned and quietly admitted, "It was my fault she left."

Not liking the serious turn of the conversation, Paulie began to dig around in his pockets and said, "No point crying over spilt Brahmin milk, my friend. Here. Have a puff of this and forget all your troubles."

Leo eyed the two Jet inhalers that Paulie held in his hand, but something about them struck him as odd.

"Where'd you get those from," Leo asked suspiciously.

"What? This? Oh this is something new. This, my friend, is Ultra Jet!" Paulie announced and held the inhalers aloft as if they were mythical treasures.

Leo hungrily licked his lips and his eyes glittered, "Ultra Jet? What's that?"

"Well, it's Jet... but better! It's supposed to be for ghouls. The poor bastards can't even get a buzz with normal Jet, so one of their brethren cooked up Ultra Jet. Someone came through the other day and traded these in for some Stimpacks. Cindy took her eye off the store just long enough for me to snag these." Paulie proffered one to Leo and said with a grin, "Naturally I thought of you."

Leo hesitantly took the inhaler and instantly felt at odds with himself. The addict in him wanted to breathe in the heady concoction, but a small voice in the back of his mind kept telling him to not do it. In fact, the voice telling him not to take the Jet had been the same one that had told him that he was to blame for Nicole leaving. It was the same one that had started to make him feel guilty about what he had done to Lucy West. It also had started to prickle him about how he had treated his family through the years, that when he was supposed to be providing for them and keeping them safe, he had been too wasted on Jet to give a damn one way or the other.

Leo did not like this little voice one bit and he was determined to shut it up.

Quickly, he brought the inhaler to his lips and drew in the Ultra Jet. At first, Leo wasn't sure what all the hype was about until it the Ultra Jet suddenly hit him full force. His heart was racing as well as his mind. The intensity of it startled him to begin with, but that was soon forgotten.

"Fuck," he breathed and closed his eyes.

Paulie chuckled, "Good stuff, huh?"

"Oh yeah," Leo agreed.

As Leo savoured the feeling of euphoria the Ultra Jet had brought on, he heard the familiar sound of an inhaler being used and looked out of the corner of his eye.

"I thought you got that for me?" Leo whined.

Paulie laughed, "Couldn't let you have all the fun, could I?"

"Bastard," Leo grumbled and retreated into his drug fuelled haze.

All the years of drug abuse, Paulie had started to think that he was invincible. He'd been dodging bullets, only suffering a handful of near misses. Today, death's aim would be true. Paulie's system struggled to cope with all the drugs that had assaulted it in such a short space of time. Taking in a shuddering gasp, Paulie clutched his chest and said with his final breath, "Damn... That- that's some good... Jet..."

Paulie's now lifeless body slumped towards Leo and then limply tumbled to the pitted flight deck.

Leo snickered. In his drug addled mind Leo believed it was a joke and prodded Paulie with his toe and laughingly said, "C'mon Paulie, get your sorry ass up."

When there was no reply, Leo rolled his eyes, knelt down beside Paulie and shook him. For a few moments, Leo continued to try to get Paulie to respond, but with each passing second, Leo started to realize that something had gone terribly wrong.

"Come on Paulie! Wake up you stupid bastard!" Leo shouted and slapped his fallen friend.

Shaking his head, Leo stumbled backwards, fell to the deck and struggled to comprehend what had just happened.

"Oh shit, oh no..."

Leo was starting to come off his high, but there was still enough Jet in his system to make it impossible to think clearly. Fear started to send an icy sliver through his heart. How would he explain this? What would happen? Would they blame him for Paulie's death? If they did, what would the punishment be?

These thoughts and a dozen more raced through his mind at breakneck speed and in the midst of it all, only one thing seemed to make any sense to him: he had to leave Rivet City immediately.

Frantically looking around to be sure that he was alone, Leo went through Paulie's pockets and took whatever he could find. The result, however, was disappointing. He only managed to find two syringes of Psycho, a Stimpack and a handful of caps. Tucking them away quickly, Leo raked his trembling fingers through his hair.

As he left, Leo looked back at Paulie's body. For one moment, he wildly considered throwing it into the Potomac. If the Mirelurks devoured the remains everyone would think that Paulie had merely run away, but Leo decided against it. Knowing his rotten luck, someone would spot the body before the Mirelurks had the chance to feast.

Slinking through the corridors, it seemed that all the residents of Rivet City were packed into them, giving him suspicious looks as if they knew he'd just done an awful thing. In all truth, none of the residents gave him a moment's thought, but the Ultra Jet had brought on a wave of paranoia. Leo tried to act as inconspicuous as possible by avoiding their gazes and any unnecessary conversations. After what seemed ages, he ducked into his room, shut the door behind him and slid to the floor, shaking and sweating.

"_Come on Leo, you don't have time for this. Get yourself together, man!" _ Leo scolded himself.

Jumping to his feet, Leo grabbed the pack that he'd brought with him to Rivet City and hurriedly shoved a few things into its depths. Panic made it a rather a haphazard effort though and while he had a few essentials, it was nowhere near the amount he would need to survive for long.

Then it struck him: where exactly was he going?

Leo couldn't answer that question right now. All he knew was that his time was running short and that Paulie's body would eventually be discovered. Slinging the pack over his shoulder, Leo left his room. Turning this way and that, he could feel the elation of triumph as he descended the steps and spied the hatch that led out to the bridge that separated Rivet City from the DC Ruins.

"Leo!"

The sound of Cindy Cantelli's annoyed shout made Leo's heart skip a few beats. _"Run! Run damn it!"_ his mind whispered, but he knew that it would only arouse suspicion.

"Cindy, hi," he reluctantly greeted and turned to face her, but avoided her gaze.

"You seen that good for nothing husband of mine?" she growled, her face was the absolute picture of indignant rage.

Leo shuffled his feet and his eyes darted around before he shook his head, "Paulie? No, I haven't seen him all day."

Cindy scrutinized Leo and scowled, "You're a fucking liar. I know what you two get up to and I can tell you're high as a kite right now."

"Look, I haven't seen him," Leo hissed. "I've been in my room all day, okay?"

"Yeah, right," Cindy snorted. "Well if you happen to see that asshole, you tell him that I'm looking for him."

"Ok, will do," Leo agreed.

Much to his relief, Cindy threw him one last disparaging glare and then hustled off to try and locate her errant husband. Leo grimly thought that she was in for a big shock, but pushed that aside to focus on saving his own hide.

Taking a shuddering breath, Leo pushed the hatch door open to make his escape. Pausing for a moment, he felt a chill run down his spine as he looked at the ominous landscape of the former nation's capitol. The shadows that it cast in the pale moonlight seemed more frightening now than they had just a couple of hours ago in the setting sun.

Leo looked at the bridge guards and considered confessing what happened. Right or wrong, which should he choose? Leo wasn't even sure if he knew the difference between the two anymore.

After stalling a few more minutes, Leo made his decision. Cowardice and the fear of what repercussions he might reap kept him silent.

And with the weight of another bad choice resting heavily on him, Leo's shoulders slumped as he walked away from Rivet City and into the dark of night.

* * *

_Author's Note: Now for the long awaited chapter 13! I'm so sorry for the long wait, but my beta reader has been been very busy lately. Thank you all for your patience and I hope you enjoyed the latest offering!_


	14. Chapter 14

Burke panted as he tried to keep up with Nicole, but the younger woman was easily outpacing him. It had been years since he'd had to do any schlepping around the Wasteland and it showed. His back hurt, his feet hurt, he was out of breath and he was sweating profusely. Before they had left Tenpenny Tower that morning, Nicole had berated him for foolishly choosing to wear his suit instead of some form of armour. He had told her that he had standards to uphold and that he refused to dress like one of the plebs that inhabited the Wasteland. Now with the temperatures soaring and his clothes starting to stick to his damp skin, he was beginning to think that she was right. Not that he would ever admit that to her.

"Nicole! Will you please slow down?" Burke begged. Unfortunately for him, Nicole continued to set a quick march through the rocky, hilly terrain.

"Sorry, there's no time," she said shortly and negotiated her way over a place where the once smooth tarmac that wound between two hills had buckled and cracked.

Burke gritted his teeth and trudged after her, struggling not to hold her foul mood against her. She wasn't sulking exactly, but she had made it clear that she was more than a little annoyed with him. He suspected that it was because in the time that had passed since their bathroom board meeting, he'd been busy making arrangements for their current adventure. Then there were all the administrative duties that came with running Tenpenny Tower that had required his urgent attention.

At least that had been his excuse as to why he hadn't seen much of Nicole over the past three weeks.

The midday sun beat down mercilessly and while Nicole had grown used to the harsh environment and the stresses that it put on her body, it was something that the spoiled Burke found unbearable and irritating. With every passing moment, Burke fell further behind and no matter how hard he tried, he just could not keep up. The frustration and annoyance of the situation along with the unrelenting heat finally became too much and he shouted, "Nicole!"

Looking back at Burke, she was irked to see that he was now a few yards behind her.

"What?" she asked and gave him a cool look.

"I think we should stop for a moment," Burke panted plaintively and retreated into the shade of a boulder. Taking off his hat, he fanned himself and cast a baleful eye at Nicole over the top of his sunglasses.

Throwing her hands up in frustration and grumbling under her breath, she went to stand beside him and leaned against the boulder.

"Thank you," Burke said brusquely.

Nicole's lip curled in disdain for Burke's physical weakness. However, deep down she was enjoying making him suffer. It served him right for practically ignoring her the last three weeks. Every time she sought him out, he had chased her away claiming that he was terribly busy doing Very Important Business. That meant she had been cooped up in Tenpenny Tower with precious little to keep her occupied.

At first, Nicole took advantage of it and lazed about her suite but by the end of the first week she was becoming bored by the cushy, sedentary lifestyle that Tenpenny Tower was well known for. Not having to worry about scratching the dirt to eke out her existence had left a surprising void. The second week saw Nicole becoming stir crazy from being stuck in the same place for so long. Wandering between the shops and the courtyard no longer provided the distraction that it had to begin with.

Desperate to stave off the mind numbing boredom she felt, Nicole forced herself to try and get to know some of the other residents. Her attempts were usually thrown back in her face or those that spoke to her only made shallow conversation. One thing was universal though. They all looked at her as if she were no better than the ghouls that had tried to infiltrate the tower some time ago.

Feeling utterly isolated, Nicole tried to find someone she might have something in common with, so she kept to her new daily routine of visiting the cafe to try and make small talk with some of the other women. She actually had started to believe that some headway was being made because the others weren't quite as cold to her as they normally were, although she soon found that it was all an act.

One day as she was about to enter the cafe, she overheard a group of women talking and she stopped to listen when she heard her name mentioned. Nicole had always known that she was a subject of idle gossip, but what she heard next made her blood boil. Susan Lancaster had apparently gone about the place spreading vile stories about Nicole and now these women stood there, tittering over the insinuation that not only was she more promiscuous than Susan, but she had a flair for the deviant as well. After that, Nicole decided that her own company was best and had kept to herself, even if it was incredibly lonely.

Burke and Nicole stood there for some time, neither of them speaking. The silence between them was heavy and full of things that were begging to be said but both of them were too proud and stubborn to say them. Instead, Nicole glanced at Burke's flushed face, scowled and took two bottles of water out of her pack. Without a word she shoved one into his hand and took to drinking her own.

As Burke sipped the warm water, he watched out of the corner of his eye as Nicole pressed her full lips to the neck of the bottle and took a drink. It bemused him to find that he felt jealous of that bottle right now. He continued to watch her a bit longer. This time when she took a drink, a trickle of sweat ran down her graceful throat to disappear into the collar of her armour. A smirk briefly played over his lips as he fantasized about following the path of that droplet of sweat with his tongue.

Nicole, noticing _that_ particular smirk, huffed and tugged at the neck of the combat armour Burke had brought her the night before. It was slightly too big which caused it to rub her neck and was beginning to chafe.

Unable to stand the slimy look on Burke's face or the stony silence any longer, Nicole gruffly asked, "So where are we going again?"

Burke was jarred from his daydream, somewhat relieved that Nicole had finally spoken. While he'd rather have her in a much more companionable mood, he supposed that a few words were better than nothing. At the very least he wanted to believe that it signalled a turn in her mood for the better.

"I told you that we're going to visit an old associate of mine at the Alexandria Arms Hotel," he explained while swiping away an errant bead of sweat that was threatening to run into his eyes.

"Would you care to elaborate or are you going to pull your usual man of mystery act on me?" Nicole asked and pulled at the armour again.

Burke chuckled, "I thought you found my mysterious air appealing?"

"You go on believing that if you want," she snidely replied. Desperate to keep to the subject at hand, she asked, "And who is this friend of yours?"

Burke took another drink of his water and briefly mourned that it wasn't a fine single malt whiskey before shaking his head and saying, "Oh, he's not my friend."

Nicole raised an eyebrow, "You said that you knew him."

Burke shook his head solemnly, "Nicole, I'm shocked that you have yet to learn that acquaintances and friends are two very different things."

"_Just as I should have learned that lovers and one night stands are two very different things," _Nicole thought bitterly.

Burke continued, "His name is Alex DeCarlo. And we're going to have to be very careful around him."

"Why is that?" Nicole asked, eyeing Burke suspiciously.

"He's always had dealings with the Enclave," Burke muttered before finishing the last of his water.

"What!" Nicole shrieked. "You didn't think to tell me this before now!"

Burke shrugged nonchalantly, "I didn't feel it necessary to worry you with it."

"Oh, thank you _so_ much for your concern," Nicole replied sarcastically, tugged at the chestplate of her armour again and cursed.

"Is there a problem?"

"Yes, there is! This damned inferior armour is the problem!" Nicole snapped.

Burke fought the urge to roll his eyes and said, "As much as I know you would rather be in your Tesla armour, you at least now know my reasons for not allowing it."

"For all we know he's got Enclave troops holed up in there!" Nicole snatched the empty water bottle from Burke and threw it in the pack with her own. "God damn it Burke, you're walking me into a death trap."

"You're getting a little melodramatic, don't you think? While DeCarlo's had dealings with the Enclave, the Enclave isn't exactly fond of him. I doubt that there are platoons of them stationed there." Burke cleared his throat and added quietly, "Especially in light of what kind of establishment it is."

Nicole snorted, "Oh, this is getting better by the moment. Go on then, what kind of establishment is it?"

"I think you can figure that out for yourself, Nicole," Burke quirked a knowing smile.

Nicole glared at Burke, "It's a whorehouse!"

Burke shook his head ruefully, "You make it sound so crude."

"Because it is crude. And deplorable. And disgusting." She scowled, "And naturally you _would_ be friends with someone who owns a whorehouse."

Burke pursed his lips, "I've told you that we're not friends. In fact I haven't seen Alex in nearly two years."

Nicole felt like putting her fingers in her ears and not listening to any of the sordid details. With a longsuffering sigh she said, "Burke, really, knowing about Susan was bad enough. I don't want to know anymore."

"Nicole, you seem to work under the delusion that we all should be as saintly as you," Burke dully accused.

"I've never thought that I was saintly!" Nicole gaped.

"Perhaps not knowingly, but your idealistic morals have remained somewhat intact in spite of what the Wasteland has thrown at you. That is beside the point," Burke said and wiped away the sweat on his brow. "I didn't go to the Alexandria Arms in search of a woman. Alex is fond of gambling, poker in particular. I'd go as far as saying that it's a weakness of his. At any rate, he'd invited me to a high stakes game and naturally I couldn't resist," perching his hat back on his head, Burke reluctantly moved from the shade and back to the road.

Nicole took that as a sign that it was time to move along, so she slung her pack back over her shoulder again and led the way through the rest of the small hills towards the ruins that were looming before them.

"So tell me Burke, exactly how do you know this guy?"

"I told you. He was an old associate of mine," Burke said, trying to sidle around the issue.

Nicole was determined to ferret out the answer and said, "And that is a vague statement which doesn't really answer my question."

"I think I preferred it when you were sulking," Burke sighed wearily.

Nicole frowned, "Burke, I think it's the least you owe me, don't you? One truth in a whole pack of lies can't hurt you, surely?"

"Truth is often a far more dangerous thing than you think," Burke said gravely. "And I have never lied to you," he added indignantly.

"Oh, of course you haven't," Nicole sardonically replied while tucking away a few loose strands of hair back into the chignon at the nape of her neck.

"I haven't," Burke continued to eschew his innocence. "Tell me one time that I lied to you."

Nicole thought. One thing instantly sprang to mind and she said, "The letters."

Burke mockingly laughed at her, "Are you still flogging that dead horse?"

"You said that you..." Nicole began petulantly, but was cut off by Burke.

"I'm fully aware of what I had said," he said shortly. "And if you will recall, I explained why it never came to pass."

"Tenpenny," Nicole spat out the name distastefully and kicked at a small rock in the road.

"Exactly, my dear," Burke said and hoped that this would be the end of her questions. Unfortunately it wasn't.

Cautiously, Nicole slowly said, "Speaking of which, there's something that I've been dying to know."

Burke looked at her warily. Her sudden desire to know all that she could about him was unsettling.

Nicole's tongue wet her lips and she plunged forward, "How did Tenpenny die?"

Through tight lips, Burke said, "I told you that as well. He died in his sleep."

Nicole rolled her eyes, "Burke, you know that's not what I'm asking."

"You want to know if I killed him." Burke gave her a strange smile and asked, "What do you think?"

"I think you did it," she said flatly.

"Perception is such an odd thing Nicole," Burke laughed. "Simply because you don't fully trust me, you believe me to be capable of all sorts of devious deeds."

Nicole gave him a look of astonishment and exclaimed, "You asked me to blow up Megaton! If you could even consider asking that of someone you could damn well kill an old man!"

Burke smirked and shook his head, "You have overlooked one thing, Nicole. I truly do not like getting my hands dirty."

"You're not going to tell me, are you?" Nicole sighed dispiritedly.

"Tenpenny was in his 80's. I can assure you that he died in his sleep," Burke soothed.

It was true that Tenpenny had died in his sleep. Of course that was after drinking whiskey laced with Radscorpion venom, but Nicole needn't know that. Considering what her reaction would be, Burke decided that it would be best to keep that fact to himself. While many, including Nicole, would consider it a lie, Burke justified it to himself as merely not presenting all the facts of the case.

Although not fully satisfied with what Burke had told her, Nicole went quiet. The road that they were following was now about to take them through a built up area. No doubt it would be an ideal area for an ambush so she needed to concentrate on their surroundings.

As they turned left on what would have been a side street, they skirted along the side of a building until they reached an intersection and Nicole motioned for Burke to stop. Barely peering around the corner of the building they were next to, she dropped to her knee, took her sniper rifle from her back and peered through the scope to get a better view of the path before them.

The road looked as if it had been a four lane highway and it was littered with cars that had come to a standstill when the bombs fell. Tall buildings that had remained fairly intact flanked the road, their window panes now glassless. It was, quite literally, a valley of death since the buildings provided the perfect place for enemies to lie in wait until some unsuspecting soul stumbled along.

She paused when she began to see signs that there were Raiders in the area. A few yards past the pileup of cars, there were the graffiti-covered barriers that were typical of Raider fortifications. An even more disturbing sign of their presence were the bodies of their victims that had been cut into pieces and hung along the top of the fence like gory trophies.

"Damn," Nicole breathed.

"What's wrong?"Burke asked and tried to look around the corner as well.

Nicole pushed him away, "Raiders."

"We'll have to go a different way then," Burke said and headed back in the direction they had come from.

Nicole went back to scanning the scene through her scope. If they doubled back and went a different route, they would end up having to travel through the ruins in the dark. While the ruins weren't safe at the best of times, at night the creatures that lurked in the metro tunnels and other dark, dank places would surface and roam the rubble strewn streets. The thought of adding feral ghouls into the already dangerous mix really did not appeal.

A few Raiders had finally come into sight and Nicole watched them intently. There were five of them that she could see, three men and two women. All of them were clad in the typical rags and bits of scrap that Raiders used as armour.

A scornful frown tugged at Nicole's mouth as she watched the two women swagger along with the men. As strange as it might have sounded, the Raider women were worse than the men in Nicole's opinion. They were crazier and more hell bent on the masochistic destruction of their enemies. Considering the number of mutilated Raider women she had seen on her travels, Nicole guessed that one of the ways to ensure their survival was to prove that they could be just as vicious as the men were. Those that failed met a brutal end.

It looked as if most were carrying small handguns or melee weapons, which proved no real threat, but her blood ran cold when she saw that one of them was carrying a missile launcher.

Quickly she centred the crosshairs of her sniper rifle on the head of the spiky haired, bearded man carrying the launcher. His weapon covered a greater distance and it would do massive damage with a single hit, which meant that he presented the greatest threat.

All she had to do was take him out. Kill one and the rest would be flushed out by the ruckus. Nicole took a few deep breaths and forced any tension from her arms and shoulders that might make her aim untrue. When she felt ready, her finger smoothly pulled the trigger. Through the scope she could see a spray of blood come from her target's head and watched as he dropped his missile launcher and then crumpled to the ground.

Burke had walked a few feet away, unaware of the situation unfolding behind him. The sudden crack of a gunshot made him jump and turn.

"What the hell are you doing?" Burke brayed at Nicole.

"Setting a trap," Nicole replied distractedly and watched as four more Raiders appeared from their makeshift fortress to join their compatriots. She ducked back around the corner in time as a hail of bullets whizzed past and ricocheted off the surrounding buildings. The angry shouts and curses of the Raiders echoed and made their numbers seem greater than they actually were.

"Nicole!" Burke ran over and grabbed her shoulder to urge her to her feet.

"Stop it!" she snarled and slapped his hand away and peered around the corner again when the gunshot had spaced out.

Grabbing her plasma rifle from her back, she took aim at the cars that had been rusting away on this road to nowhere for 200 years. All she had to do was wait...

"Nicole! You're going to get us killed!" Burke growled, pulled out his silenced 10mm and started firing blindly around the corner at the Raiders. He'd emptied one clip and was reloading when a smile touched Nicole's lips.

"Gotcha..." she muttered and pulled the trigger of her plasma rifle.

The car she had been aiming for started to burn and as the flames grew, they finally reached the aged reactor causing it to explode. This explosion triggered a rapid chain reaction that spread through the surrounding cars and culminated in a much larger explosion, complete with its own fiery mushroom cloud.

The Raiders, so intent on killing, never gave the vehicles a thought and were caught up in the maelstrom of shrapnel and radiated fire. The fortunate ones died instantly from the blast. One of their gang wasn't so lucky and lay on the ground, blackened and screaming in agony.

While Nicole waited for the flames to die out, she took two pills from a bottle of Rad-X and handed one to Burke.

"Here, take this," she said. "The radiation levels will be fairly high for a few minutes."

Burke glanced between the burning cars and Nicole before sputtering, "W-we're still going this way?"

"Yes. According to my Pip-Boy this is the most direct route," Nicole said while putting her rifles on her back again and then swallowed the Rad-X tablet. Not wanting a debate, Nicole purposefully walked towards the scene of destruction.

Burke hesitated, but eventually followed and choked down the medicine. As they approached he tried not to look at the carnage that was around them, but it was unavoidable. The smell of burning flesh turned his stomach and he had to tightly clench his jaw to keep from retching.

"You bitch," said a weak voice off to their right.

Nicole wandered over and stared down at the lone survivor, a Raider woman, dispassionately. The blast had tossed her like a rag doll against the concrete barriers that lined the road. From what Nicole could determine, the Raider's patchwork armour had been burned away. The flames had left her flesh an angry, oozing mess and the force of hitting the barriers had broken her leg. Through the bloody mess of her thigh, the broken, jagged end of her femur was protruding.

"Kill me, oh God, just... you bitch. You fucking bitch," the Raider moaned and tried to go for her .32 that she dropped when thrown off her feet.

Nicole plucked the .32 from the ground and opened the chamber to find it fully loaded. Carefully she emptied the gun of all but one bullet.

"This is no time to scavenge, Nicole," Burke said with a hint of nervousness in his voice. He anxiously rocked on his feet hoping that it would urge Nicole on.

"Shut up, Burke," Nicole said coolly and went back to the dying Raider. Again she stared down at the burned woman for a moment before speaking.

"You want me to kill you? End your suffering?"

"Are you deaf, bitch?" the Raider spat.

Nicole knelt down and calmly said, "I won't do it."

Burke spun around to look at Nicole. She had his full attention now.

The Raider's eyes filled with a murderous rage and she cursed vehemently until the pain became too much for her again and she groaned.

Nicole patiently waited and then said, "I won't do it, but I'll let you do it yourself. See this?" Nicole held up the .32 in front of the Raider's face. "It has a single bullet in it. Now, you have three choices. You can wait until you die from you injuries. You can use this gun and end it quickly. Or you can be stupid and use this bullet to try and take one of us out and _then_ wait to die. That last one isn't an option you really want to consider. My father told me that dying from burns is a very slow, painful way to go."

The Raider's tongue swept over her chapped lips and her eyes glittered as she eyed the gun.

"I'm going to set it over here and we'll be on our way," Nicole said and put the gun two feet out of her reach. It meant that the Raider would have to work to get the gun. Those few seconds would give her and Burke a chance to put a bit of distance between them and the Raider.

As soon as she was done, she motioned for Burke to follow her. It wasn't long before Burke was at her elbow, nervously glancing back over his shoulder at the Raider. He could see the woman making slow moves towards the gun.

"Stop looking back Burke," Nicole scolded. While the Raider had led a rather dishonourable life, Nicole felt that she should at least be afforded a dignified death without being gawked at in the process.

"What if she shoots one of us?"

"Then whoever is left standing should go back and poke her with a stick to make sure she's in excruciating pain."

Burke was taken aback by her sadistic reply, but his surprise was cut short by the sound of a gunshot. He jumped and stopped to look back, but Nicole kept walking. The crimson splatter on the ground was confirmation of what choice the Raider had made.

Trotting to catch up, Burke breathlessly asked, "How did you know what she would do?"

"I didn't."

Burke frowned at Nicole's recklessness, "So you decided to gamble with our lives?"

"If you'd do as I say and wear some armour it wouldn't be that much of a gamble," she said wearily.

"Ah!" Burke exclaimed and rapped on his chest.

Nicole raised an eyebrow at the metallic knocking. So he'd managed to conceal some sort of ballistic armour beneath his clothing. She was impressed and would have told him so if she hadn't felt certain that it would only serve to expand his already massive ego. Instead she sniped, "It's about damn time you listened to me."

They walked in silence for some time, Nicole surreptitiously stopping and scoping ahead to make sure they weren't going to be attacked. Once they had finally moved out of the valley of death and into a more open area, Nicole relaxed slightly and put her sniper rifle on her back again.

Burke was tired of listening to the wind whistling through the ruins and the sound of their feet scratching on the broken road. Desperate to break the silence, and with the blasted Raiders still fresh in his mind, Burke asked, "What was your first like?"

Nicole's eyes narrowed at him, "Of all the... I thought we'd discussed _that_ ages ago?"

Burke chuckled, "While I would find that particular chapter in your life incredibly titillating, you misunderstand. What was it like the first time you had to kill someone?"

Nicole frowned and wished that Burke had been asking about how she'd lost her virginity. It would have been infinitely easier than what he really wanted to know.

After a few moments, she reluctantly answered, "I didn't think about it at first. There wasn't time. It happened while I was trying to escape from Vault 101. One of the guards had me trapped. I didn't have a choice." Nicole swallowed thickly, "After it was all over and I was on the outside that was when it hit me. At first I was sick and then I just sat there and cried."

Burke had a hard time reconciling the image of an innocent Nicole sobbing over her actions with the Nicole that he'd grown to know. The Nicole that was walking beside him seemed to dole out death without an ounce of remorse.

With a smirk he said, "Now you can dispatch a person without batting an eye."

Nicole vehemently shook her head, "That's not true. I've just learned detachment. Otherwise I would have gone insane." She didn't tell him that often her dreams were haunted by the faces of her victims.

"No? What about that Raider?" Burke asked before picking at Nicole's sore points some more. "You stood over her and it didn't seem to faze you in the least. She begged you to end her suffering and you refused to show her any mercy."

Nicole glared at him, "And do you think she ever showed her victims mercy? Why don't you go back and ask some of those dismembered bodies and see what they tell you!" Her eyes flashed dangerously and she hissed, "You want to know the truth? If anything, I wish I hadn't of given her the damned gun! She deserved to suffer for all the pain and misery that she handed out."

Burke was slightly alarmed by the wild look in Nicole's eyes and knew he had pushed her too far. In an attempt to placate her he conceded, "The first time is always the hardest." What came next was said so quietly that it was almost lost to the sound of the wind rushing by. "I remember being sick after my first kill, too."

Nicole was unsure whether she heard it properly or not and she glanced at Burke. He seemed to be lost in the fog of memories that were known to none but him. Although a part of her wanted to know what was on his mind, she didn't pry. She knew that it would be a waste of breath anyhow.

Again they walked in silence until a bend in the road led them past the Arlington Library. It was a place that Nicole knew well from her early days in the Wastes. Scribe Yearling, who was posted there, had offered Nicole a fair amount for any pre-war books that were in good condition. To the left of the library, across the street, stood the Alexandria Arms, but it wasn't as Nicole remembered from her previous visits to the area.

Before, the small plaza in front of the hotel was just as barren and empty as any number of places in the Wasteland, but now it seemed to have been fortified with makeshift barriers topped with razor wire. There was a chain link gate that barred entrance to the hotel.

"There it is," Burke said.

"Good. Let's go then," Nicole said and started to walk faster but she was stopped by Burke. He grabbed her arm and pulled her behind a truck that was sitting on the road in front of the library.

Nicole growled, "What now? I want to get this over and done with."

"Before we go in there, we need to discuss a few things. I told you earlier that we'll have to be careful around Alex. Unfortunately, no thanks to your reputation, this could be rather tricky," Burke said before nervously peering around the edge of the truck to see if they were being watched. Satisfied that they weren't, he turned his attention back to Nicole. "You see, if he knows who you are he will undoubtedly inform the Enclave. The amount of caps that he could demand for that kind of information would be far too tempting to pass up. This, as I'm sure you can figure out, is why the Enclave higher ups don't really like him. Information is expensive and being a pseudo-governmental group, they'd rather not spend the caps due to budgetary constraints."

Nicole snorted derisively and asked, "So what do you suggest?"

"You need a new back story. Now listen carefully: your name is Sarah. You were born and raised in Vault 101. When it was recently opened to the outside world, most Vault residents were painfully naive and unprepared for what the Wasteland was really like. Because of this, you became ideal targets for Raiders and Slavers. This is what happened to you. One day when you were out exploring, the Slavers captured you and took you to Paradise Falls where I purchased you from Eulogy Jones a little over a year ago."

Nicole listened carefully and nodded, "Right, Sarah, captured from 101 and sold into slavery." She laughingly added, "And you're my knight in shining armour. Well, tarnished armour at the very least."

Burke frowned and smacked her hands when she reached out to smooth down his lapels, "I'm glad you're finding this amusing because I'm certainly not."

"Sorry, sorry," Nicole apologized and bit her lip to make herself stop smirking.

Shaking his head in exasperation, Burke continued, "Now, as much as I know you might find this difficult, I need you to follow my lead. No arguing or questioning. Don't speak unless you're spoken to." Burke was not pleased to see Nicole's jaw jutting out in a defiant pout and her eyes narrow. Burke rested his hands on her upper arms and stroked them with his thumbs. Looking over the top of his sunglasses and into her eyes, he said, "Nicole, unless you want to end up dead before the end of the day, you must do this. Do you understand?"

"I don't like it, but I understand," she reluctantly agreed.

"Excellent. We need to move now. I don't think the guards saw us, but let's not give them a reason to become suspicious."

Burke led the way to the hotel, but before they had reached the midway point between the truck and the barrier, the gates had slid open and two heavily armed Talon mercs stepped out of the shadows.

The hair on the back of Nicole's neck instantly stood on end and she hissed. Just as she was about to reach for one of her rifles, Burke's hand clamped down on her wrist and he gave her a succinct shake of his head. Nicole had become reliant on her instincts and this was one situation where rash action could be detrimental.

"Burke..." she quietly growled, her arm tensing and threatening to throw Burke's hand away and go for her weapon.

"No. Remember what I said," Burke said quietly, but firmly. "Now follow me," Burke gave her one more warning look before releasing her wrist and approaching the two guards.

Nicole felt a hard knot form in the pit of her stomach and her heart raced. She'd never been this close to Talons without being shot at. It was a rather surreal experience for her to say the least.

The closer they got, the easier it was to see that the guards were armed to the teeth. There were combat knives strapped to their thighs, belts of ammunition slung across their chests. The ammo belts were crisscrossed with a belt made specifically for carrying grenades and they each had two each of plasma, frag and pulse grenades. Both carried identical laser rifles and on their backs were combat shotguns.

"You Mister Burke?" the older merc asked around the cigarette that was dangling from his lips. His dark eyes studied both Burke and Nicole carefully, although Nicole felt annoyed when she felt his gaze linger too long on her curves.

"Yes, I am," Burke said as he stepped forward. "I'm here to see Mr DeCarlo."

The man's eyes swept over Nicole again, and he said with a laugh, "Well, I heard he was expecting you, but not your 'bodyguard'."

While Burke and the older Talon were speaking, Nicole watched the younger Talon flank them. It was a good thing that she had been distracted because it meant she didn't notice that she was practically being undressed by the older Talon's eyes. Nicole's hand kept twitching as she watched the flanking Talon. Every fibre of her being was screaming at her to get them before they got her. Sensing Nicole's unease, the Talon gave her an oily grin and stroked the barrel of his gun in a suggestive manner.

Burke's jaw clenched, "And I do believe you're lying."

The man chuckled, "Look, how about I let you in. I think the girl should stay out here. You know how DeCarlo gets about uninvited guests."

A raspy laugh came from the younger, swarthier man who had suddenly taken a step closer to Nicole. Her nose wrinkled when she got a whiff of the sweat and dirt on him, but she refused to be budged and merely stared him down with a defiant look fixed on her face.

"The girl comes with me," Burke said forcefully. "Now, if you're done with this foolishness, I demand that you allow us inside." Lowering his voice, Burke said, "I daren't think what would happen if Alex hears about this... misunderstanding." While speaking, Burke's hand came to rest on the grip of his gun and curled around it. He then added, "Not only that, I am also very well acquainted with your Commander Jabsco. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I doubt you'd want to be on the receiving end of his wrath when I tell him that I'll no longer employ Talon Company due to the oafish behaviour that I was subjected to."

The older man's eyes narrowed in a challenge and the barrel of his gun shifted so that it was inches away from Burke's chest. Burke continued to give the merc the same insufferably smug smirk.

Nicole tensed. The situation was a veritable powder keg and it would only take a spark to set it off. Thankfully the merc eventually saw sense in what Burke had said. The merc had seen what Jabsco did to those who didn't meet expectations and it was not pleasant. Grunting, he put his gun down and jerked his head in the direction of the door.

"Come with me," he begrudgingly mumbled.

Burke and Nicole were led to the door, but just as Burke put his hand to it, the younger man who had been following close behind them let out a low, dirty laugh and rapidly said, "You do know that we're going to have to check her for concealed weapons, right?"

Both the Talons exchanged feverish, knowing looks and leered at Nicole.

Burke frowned, opened the door and shoved her inside, "I don't think that's necessary."

As he slipped inside after Nicole, he could hear the two idiots arguing over which of them had ruined their chances of copping a feel. Rolling his eyes, he caught up to Nicole and murmured to her, "I hate the Talons."

She let out a little laugh and looked over her shoulder at him, "Me too."

Nicole peered through the dim foyer, waiting for her eyes to adjust from the brightness of outside. Either side of her there were fountains that, unlike the dry fountain outside Tenpenny Tower, splashed and burbled. Her head tilted slightly as she watched the play of light and water sparkling and dancing. Overhead, spotlights lit the room, dotting the tiled floor with pools of muted light that left many dark shadows in the corners.

It didn't take long for Nicole to notice the scantily clad women lounging on the sofas that lined the lobby walls. Other women were sashaying through or fawning over customers. The air was filled with the sounds of hushed conversations that were occasionally punctuated with raucous laughter.

Nicole, feeling uncomfortable with the situation, turned to Burke and said, "Where's your friend at then?"

Before Burke had a chance to correct her yet again, a booming voice sounded off to their left.

"Burke! You son of a bitch! I haven't seen your sorry ass in about two years now!"

Nicole's head jerked around to see a mountain of a man coming their way. He was everything that Burke was not. Nearly everything about Burke spoke of sophistication. The man who was speeding towards them looked slovenly. Although he was slightly taller than Burke, he was heavyset. His piggy eyes shone from a doughy, jowly face that had a sheen of sweat. He clapped a meaty hand on Burke's shoulder with more force than Nicole thought was necessary.

"Alex," Burke smoothly greeted with a smile, although Nicole could tell it was merely a mask. "It has been a while." Theatrically motioning around, Burke said, "It appears that you've been doing well for yourself here. I hardly recognise the place now."

Alex chuckled, "Yeah, I finally managed to get the stink of the Raiders out of here. Just be glad you never saw the shit they left behind, the filthy bastards."

Nicole thought that while the stench of Raiders could be stomach turning, the smell of booze, stale cigarette smoke and illicit rutting was every bit as foul.

"I can imagine," Burke said drolly.

"Speaking of doing well..." Alex's eyes glittered as they raked over Nicole's body. "Who's this lovely creature?"

Nicole let out a little gasp when Burke suddenly grabbed her arm and dragged her forward. Burke smirked, "This is Sarah."

Alex took her hand and brushed his hot lips over the back of it, making Nicole's skin crawl.

"Sarah, huh? It's a pleasure." DeCarlo smirked at Nicole before turning his attention back to Burke, "Where'd you get her from?"

"Oh, I bought her from Paradise Falls a little over a year ago," Burke replied airily.

Nicole balked at being talked about as if she weren't there or that she was nothing more than some item that had been casually purchased from a trader. It made her feel trivialized and cheap.

"Lucky you," Alex said and finally released Nicole's hand, much to her relief. A mischievous glint came to his eyes and he added, "Of course, you know Tanya will be jealous."

"Tanya is still here?" Burke asked with far more interest than Nicole liked to hear.

"Hell yes! Why would I let her go when the woman makes me caps hand over fist? When I told her you were going to be here she lit up like the 4th of July!" Alex jocularly elbowed Burke in the ribs and conspiratorially whispered, "She's upstairs waiting for you."

Nicole's teeth ground together and she shot Burke a filthy look.

Burke ignored the look Nicole gave him, and wrapped a possessive arm around her waist. He chuckled, "As much as it pains me, her services won't be required tonight."

Another raspy laugh came from DeCarlo, "Aw, c'mon Burke, you know Tanya. Three's certainly not a crowd with her!"

Burke could feel Nicole's back stiffen with indignation at the suggestion and knew that he had to steer the conversation away from this particular subject. While Nicole had performed admirably so far, he doubted that she could continue in the same vein for much longer.

Shaking his head, Burke said, "A generous offer, but you know that's not why I'm here."

"Heh, no, I guess you're right," Alex shrugged. Yet again he gave Nicole a lascivious look and rumbled, "Besides, who wants some tired old whore when you've got a fine piece of tail like that. Anyway, I've got the game set up for later. Hope you brought lots of caps for me to steal off you."

"Oh Alex," Burke laughed, his eyes glittering behind his sunglasses. "Surely you remember that I never lose?"

For the briefest of moments, Nicole saw something violent flash in DeCarlo's eyes, but it was gone in an instant. Whatever it was, it unnerved Nicole and she unwittingly took a half a step backwards and pressed against Burke.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Alex said dismissively. "How could I forget you've got the luck of the fucking devil? I guess you want your room now, huh?"

"That would be an excellent idea," Burke agreed.

DeCarlo snapped his fingers at a dark haired girl who was listlessly lounging on a nearby sofa and shouted, "Marissa! Get up off your ass and tell Tanya to get the hell out of that room!"

The girl dragged herself up from the sofa and looked at them with dead eyes before nodding and floating up the grand staircase to do as told.

Once the girl was out of sight, DeCarlo said, "I think you remember the way. You've got the best room in the joint, so enjoy." He cast another knowing look at Nicole and darkly chuckled, "Which I just bet you will."

Burke chuckled in return and prodded Nicole to get her to move then guided her towards the stairs with a hand in the small of her back. On their way up the stairs, they passed Marissa as she was returning to the lobby and Nicole instantly felt sorry for her. She couldn't have been any older than 17, but her haggard appearance was startling. Her skin was sallow and she had dark circles under her eyes. All along the inside of her forearms were track marks from repeated substance abuse. When Nicole tried to look her in the eyes, Marissa looked away.

Once inside their room, Burke locked the door behind them and Nicole looked around. The spacious room held hints of its former glory by way of what remained of the crown moulding and the stained, worn carpet. There was a wooden armoire, dressing table and desk. In the middle of one wall was a large bed. Off to the left of the bed was a bathroom. While the room was functional, it was dark and dingy in comparison to Tenpenny Tower.

Sighing, Nicole sat on the bed and felt it sag under her weight. The fact that they were going to have to share a bed was undoubtedly going to lead to some awkwardness. She pushed it out of her head for now. There were other more pressing matters to worry about.

"Oh well this is lovely Burke," she sniped. "Stuck in a seedy whorehouse with its incredibly disturbing owner... this is great. Thanks Burke!"

"Keep your voice down," Burke hissed while taking off his hat and sunglasses. He yanked at the knot of his tie and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt, "I need you on side if this is going to work. You must drop your usual jaded attitude."

Nicole glowered at him and said, "Where the hell did you meet that jerk at?"

Burke sighed and wearily rubbed his eyes, "Does it matter?"

"I want to know," Nicole insisted. "When I asked you earlier you avoided answering me and I'm getting a little tired of being fobbed off."

He looked at her for a moment and sighed again. Nicole could be annoyingly persistent when she wanted to be.

"Very well," Burke said and sat in an armchair. "I first met him over 30 years ago in an establishment not unlike this one. I had managed to charm my way in and enjoy the evening in the company of a rather lovely and accommodating woman. Needless to say, she was not terribly impressed when I couldn't pay. Nor was the owner of the brothel. Alex was given the dubious honour of showing me the error of my ways."

Burke took out his flask and took a sip before continuing, "I took my beating and went on my way." Shaking his head, Burke snorted, "You wouldn't believe it, but back in the day he was quite the ladies' man. Very suave and sophisticated."

"So what happened to him," Nicole asked while removing the upper plates of her combat armour. She found it hard to believe that DeCarlo could ever be anything more than the leering, crude man that she had met just a short while ago.

Burke shrugged, took out a cigarette and lit up, "A life of vice." Nicole arched a brow at Burke in an unspoken accusation and Burke frowned at her. "In spite of what you might think of me Nicole, I've never ever fully given into my baser instincts. I am, however, a man. And men, no matter how virtuous and true, occasionally stray in favour of questionable pursuits. Some, and Alex is a prime example of this, lose control of themselves."

Nicole scowled at the cigarette, but didn't say anything about it. Instead she got up and started to prowl the room nervously.

"So how did you two become friends?"

Burke exhaled a cloud of smoke and ground out, "I have already told you several times over that we are not friends. We never have been."

Nicole raised an eyebrow and sneered, "Really? He seemed pretty damned pleased to see you."

"It's an act, Nicole," Burke said in exasperation. "He hates me and always has. You see, after he beat me, he then went to his boss and told him what had happened. His boss was impressed at my ability to blag my way inside. He thought that I had potential and eventually hired me. There was an unspoken rivalry between us from that point on. While we respected each other's talents, we also were very much aware that if we worked hard enough that someday one of us might just take the reins from our employer." Burke let out a bitter laugh, "Life hardly ever works out the way we plan, though."

Nicole had sat on the bed again, stretched and yawned. The combination of the journey and the stuffiness of the room were making her feel sleepy. Burke's smoked velvet voice wasn't helping matters either as it lulled her further into drowsiness.

"What happened then?" she dully asked.

"There was a battle for control of the city, as there often is in New Vegas," Burke said and brushed a stray bit of ash from his lapel. "At the time it was a place run by gangsters, you see, and they were utterly ruthless. Our employer had fallen victim to the upheaval and his rival took over the casino and associated businesses. It was then that Alex and I pooled our resources and decided that it was time to leave. We worked our way across the country and ended up here."

When done telling his tale, Burke saw the stunned look on Nicole's face. The intensity of her gaze was almost more than he could stand. Stubbing out his cigarette, Burke ran a hand over his close-shaved head, worrying about how much he had just revealed to her.

"What did you do while in New Vegas?" she quietly asked.

Glaring at her briefly, Burke leapt from his chair and paced the room. For the second time that day Nicole had put him on the spot with her questioning and it made him incredibly uncomfortable. He'd played his cards so close to his chest for so long now and he was reluctant to change.

"That was such a long time ago," he said dismissively. "It really doesn't matter now."

As if to make it clear that was the end of the discussion, he opened her pack and pulled out the parcels that he'd put in there before they'd left Tenpenny Tower.

"Here," he handed her a muslin package that was held shut with twine. "This is for later."

Nicole instantly felt wary and asked, "What's this?"

"Nicole, don't you think you've asked enough questions for one day?" Burke said irritably. "Just open it."

Nicole tugged the loose end of the twine and unfolded the muslin. Nestled safely within was a red satin dress. She looked up at Burke and then back to the dress before carefully running a finger over the smooth material. It was like nothing she had ever seen before.

"I-it's beautiful," she stammered.

"Try it on," Burke said and leaned against the wall.

"It's for me?" Nicole dumbly blinked.

Burke snorted, "Who else would it be for? Go on, put it on."

Nicole bit her lip, a hint of a blush touching her cheeks and she quietly said, "Turn around."

"Nicole, you're joking, right?" Burke laughingly asked.

"No, I'm not!"

Burke sighed, "Again, I will remind you that I've seen it all before."

"Burke!" she scolded.

"This is ridiculous," he grumbled and did as told.

Nicole waited to make sure he wasn't suddenly going to try and sneak a peek and once satisfied, she stripped off her clothes. She ever so carefully picked up the dress by its spaghetti straps and admired it for a moment before slipping it on.

The feel of the smooth, cool material on her skin was unlike anything she'd ever worn before. She'd grown accustomed to the course materials used to make Wasteland clothing. Even when in Vault 101, their jumpsuits had been made of a rough utilitarian cotton.

Burke, unable to help himself, positioned himself so that he could catch part of Nicole's reflection in a nearby mirror and smirked at the sight of her naked body.

"Well?" Nicole hesitantly asked once she was dressed.

Quickly wiping the smirk from his face, Burke turned around, and breathed, "Stunning."

Nicole's blush deepened when he moved her in front of the cracked full length mirror and lightly rested his hands on her shoulders.

"Absolutely breathtaking," he murmured into her hair.

Nicole admired the way the dress skimmed over her curves, "It fits perfectly. Wherever did you get it from?"

"Anthony Ling had it in his shop for ages." Burke's fingertips caressed her arms and he purred, "No one else could afford it. I had him tailor it to fit you."

Nicole looked over her shoulder at Burke and asked, "How? He's never taken my measurements."

"No, but he's very good at his job," Burke said and lightly ran his hands down her sides to rest them on her hips.

Nicole stood transfixed as she gazed at herself in the mirror. She'd become so accustomed to seeing herself in armour that she almost didn't recognize the woman staring back at her. It was true that she'd worn dresses since moving to Tenpenny Tower, but the pink frock that she favoured was still rather practical compared to what she was wearing now. This dress smacked of pure sex appeal.

Burke's lips brushed her shoulder and something about the contact brought her back to the here and now. She turned to face him, "How is this supposed to help?"

Burke, undaunted, again put his hands on her hips, "Remember I told you that Alex has a weakness for gambling?" He gave her a smirk and said, "He has another weakness."

Nicole could see where this was going and frowned, "I'm going to regret this... What is it?"

Burke pulled her closer, "Beautiful women. You, my dear, are going to be my lucky charm." He lightly tapped the end of her nose with his finger, "And luck _must_ be a lady tonight."

"No way, no how!" she hissed and shoved him away. Turning back to the mirror, Nicole suddenly noticed how plunging and revealing the neckline of her dress actually was.

"I think this dress is too big," she grumbled and pulled the dress up, frowning at how the thigh high split now revealed even more of her leg.

"Would it pain you to act feminine tonight?" Burke growled in irritation and smoothed the dress down to reveal her luscious cleavage. "Flirt, giggle, blush. I know you're capable of it. Don't you remember what you told me about the power of female persuasion?"

Nicole pouted and her hands went to the straps of her dress. Burke smartly tapped them. "Leave it Nicole," he warned.

She winced and argued, "That was different! I was only trying to get a few caps knocked off the price of a gun!"

"Nicole, this is no different. Alex has something we want, but you can be sure that he won't just give it over. I need you to soften him up. That's all." He flashed a disarming smile and said, "Trust me."

Nicole glared, defiantly pulled the dress up again. "This is stupid," she complained. "Do we have to do it this way?"

Burke, now tired of this game, roughly tugged the dress back to where it belonged and asked, "Can you play poker?"

"No," she said sullenly and crossed her arms over her chest.

"And I would look utterly ridiculous in that dress." He grinned wickedly, "I don't have the figure for it."

Nicole bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from smirking, "You couldn't look any more ridiculous than I do."

"Nicole," he purred, his hands encircling her waist, "you hardly look ridiculous."

Nicole searched his eyes and sighed, "I really hope you know what you're doing."

"Trust me," he reassured her.

And although she knew better, she reluctantly nodded, "I trust you."

"Good girl," Burke said and kissed her forehead before tightening the knot of his tie again.

"Now, I suggest you have a bath and get some sleep," Burke said while putting on his sunglasses and hat. As he headed for the door, he said, "I need you to look a million dollars tonight. Oh, and you might want to pop a couple of Rad-X before getting in the water. I doubt it's purified."

"Wait! Where are you going?" Nicole frantically asked.

Burke gave her a mischievous smile and said, "Alex and I have some catching up to do."

With that, he slipped through the door and managed to escape before she could question him further.

Nicole frowned at the door for a few moments before locking it. The look on Burke's face as he was leaving told her that he had more than catching up with Alex on his mind. And while that annoyed Nicole, what bothered her more was that she actually gave a damn about what he might be about to do.

After she had taken off the dress and carefully laid it over the back of the armchair, she padded to the bathroom and ran a lukewarm bath. As the brownish water began to fill the tub, Nicole's face twisted into a look of disgust. It wouldn't have surprised her in the least to learn that the water was coming straight from the Potomac. Taking Burke's advice, she swallowed two Rad-X before sinking into the water.

As she bathed, she thought about what Burke was asking of her. It was true that she occasionally would flirt with men to get what she wanted or to try to sway them to her way of thinking, but that felt so innocent in comparison. Tonight she would have to play the part of a whore and she didn't know if she could do it.

She sighed wearily and heaved herself from the bath once done. Burke had promised her that all she had to do was soften DeCarlo up. That was all. Flirt, giggle, blush. Although the Wasteland had hardened her, Nicole still was a woman after all and most men in the Wasteland didn't have terribly high standards. It surely wouldn't take much to twist DeCarlo around her little finger?

Glancing at the dress draped over the armchair, a little smirk played over her features as she ran a hand over the red satin.

Nicole felt a new resolve well up inside her.

If Burke wanted a whore, then a whore was what he would get.

* * *

_Author's Note: Wow, sorry for such a long wait folks. Just had a few ... issues ... surrounding this chapter. Hopefully you won't have to wait so long for the next few chapters. And, for all your patience you got a super long chapter! _


	15. Chapter 15

Nicole slowly woke from her nap and blearily stared at the display of her Pip-Boy as her sleep addled mind struggled to comprehend what it was telling her. At first she clumsily pressed the buttons, filtering through the various data screens, although not really paying any attention to what she was seeing. Slowly sleepiness left her and she rubbed her eyes in disbelief when she realized that it was nearly 8:00 PM.

Leaping from the bed, she began to hurriedly groom herself for the evening's events. All the while, in the pit of her stomach was a ball of nervous expectation while her legs and hands felt like they were made of jelly. Nicole tried to laugh it off. As foolish as it sounded, she felt more apprehensive about the task in front of her than she would fighting a Deathclaw with little more than her bare hands.

Sitting at the ancient dressing table with its hazy mirror, Nicole coiffed her hair in a style that she had seen in a pre-war Vault-Tec approved movie during one of Vault 101's mandatory social evenings. At the time she had been bored to tears by the inane romantic plot of the film, but now she desperately tried to remember the details so she could get the look just right. The irony that the bobby pins she always had on her were finally being put to their proper use instead of being used to pick a lock was not lost on her.

With her hair secured into a precarious French twist, she then put on her makeup. The array of archaic cosmetics spread over the scratched surface of the dressing table made her frown. There had been precious little make-up in Vault 101 and in her two years outside the Vault, she hadn't seen any. Even when she was still in 101 and had access to it, she always kept to the basics and usually only wore a bit of blush and a sweep of eye shadow. So, to say that her experience with it was limited was an understatement.

A trembling hand picked up a metallic tube and she opened it to reveal a crimson lipstick. She stared at it for a moment, uncertain of the lurid colour, before finally slicking it on. Almost instinctually, she pressed her lips together and then pulled a few faces in the mirror. Next she picked up a compact, opened it and used the puff hidden inside to apply the powder. After that came the eye shadow, eye liner and mascara. These proved to be far trickier than she thought they would be. The eye shadow went on far too heavily and after a couple of minutes of furiously trying to rub the excess off, Nicole finally managed to get it to a point where she was happy with the smoky look it gave to her eyes. The eyeliner was even less cooperative and her shaking hands were making it nearly impossible to put on a smooth line. After a few tries she was finally able to manage it. Next she swept on a thick coat of black mascara, careful not to poke herself in the eye, but failed in keeping it from straying onto her eyelid.

Retrieving the last muslin wrapped package, she opened it only to end up staring dumbfounded at what she found. Nestled inside were the most delicate underthings that she had ever seen. They were a pale pink satin with lace trim and ribbon embellishments and so very different to the vest and shorts she usually wore. Running a finger over the fabric, she blushed furiously at the thought of Burke selecting such intimate items for. However, she found that while it was embarrassing it was also oddly thrilling. In fact, a part of her very much liked the thought that he would know exactly what she wore beneath her dress.

Smirking and blushing furiously, she shook her head, trying to dismiss such thoughts, but they were persistent. The feeling only intensified as she carefully pulled on the silk stockings, adjusted the seam running up the back of her leg and attached them to her garter belt.

Slipping on the dress, Nicole relished the feel of the cool satin against her skin. However, as she skimmed her hands over her hips, the nervousness returned full force and she groaned. Why had she told Burke that she trusted him? The man couldn't be trusted any further than he could be thrown, so why she had allowed him to toy with her in the way he had was beyond her. The damage had been done though and it was too late to argue. Instead she settled for putting the finishing touches on her latest costume.

Picking up a plain bottle from the dressing table, she read the label. "Chanel No. 5" it said. Nicole opened the bottle and sniffed it before applying some to the insides of her wrists and neck. After a few moments of consideration she decided that some between her breasts would not go amiss either.

Once done, she put on the strappy high heels and gazed at herself in the cracked full-length mirror. It suddenly dawned on her that Burke must have spent a small fortune on her ensemble. Swallowing thickly, she knew that Burke would eventually demand payment in kind, but she shrugged those thoughts off for the time being. She'd cross that bridge when she had to.

As she stared at the mirror, the disconnect she felt between her reflection and herself was much stronger. Nicole had never been terribly girly and her father had never done much to try and make her so. While other girls her age had been playing with dolls and having tea parties, Nicole was happier playing with toy cars and Nuka-Cola trucks. As she got older she continued to be a tomboy and favoured playing sports and learning about science and medicine. The other girls her age, including Amata, found Nicole's interests odd and often would tease her or would exclude her from their games. When the other girls started to take notice of the boys, Nicole couldn't understand why they would spend hours fussing over their appearances just to impress the likes of Butch and his gang.

Now here she stood, staring at this woman in the mirror who looked as if she had never spent a day in the wastes. Although Burke wanted her to convey just that, Nicole knew the truth of the matter. He wanted her to pretend to be this pampered, spoiled woman who knew she was kept but had enough sense to appreciate what her master had given to her. There was a niggling worry in the back of her mind that if Burke had his way, that's exactly what he'd have her be. A pet, a plaything, something to amuse him, and when he was bored, he'd toss her aside to pursue a new, more fascinating diversion.

Sighing at the thought, she pushed it aside for now. There was work to be done.

Taking a deep breath to try and calm her nerves, Nicole patted her hair and did her best to paste a pouty, sultry look on her face and left the room. Her progress was slow, though, no thanks to the high heeled shoes. Unused to walking in anything other than heavy boots, her ankles kept threatening to roll and make her stumble.

Holding to the handrail for dear life, she descended the stairs and paused at the bottom. She had no idea where Burke was or where she needed to go. As she peered around the lobby for any sign of him, the sound of loud laughter drew her towards the room that DeCarlo had appeared from before.

Cautiously wandering inside, it became apparent that she was now in DeCarlo's private rooms. They were filled with a mishmash of worn furniture in poor repair, but their placement hadn't been given any real thought. Everything was strewn about, higgledy-piggledy. It was nothing like Burke's suite with its carefully selected furnishings and decor that was neatly arranged just so.

"Burke, you son of a bitch!" DeCarlo boomed from a room off to the left. "That's the fifth hand you've won!"

"Ah, the night is still young," Burke replied smoothly. "I'll undoubtedly clean you out before the evening is done."

"The hell you will!" DeCarlo laughed and broke into a chesty coughing fit.

Nicole smoothed her dress over her hips with shaking hands. Pulling herself up to her full height, she took a deep breath, held her head high and sauntered into the room, hoping that her heels wouldn't betray her.

"_C'mon Nicole..." _she chided herself. _"You can do this. Flirt, giggle, blush, remember?"_

As soon as she entered the room she could feel everyone's eyes on her and it made her feel very self conscious. She wasn't used to being looked at as if she were a piece of meat. Trying to hide how edgy it made her, she smirked before purring to Burke and DeCarlo, "Good evening gentlemen."

DeCarlo smiled back and nodded his greeting to her but Burke was too distracted by a woman who seemed more than at home in his lap to give Nicole any notice. Swallowing both the sudden intense urge to slap Burke and her pride, Nicole went over to him and leaned down to drape her arms around his neck. She playfully nibbled his earlobe and murmured into it, "Hello, Burke. Who's your friend?"

The woman raised an eyebrow at Nicole and gave her a superior look before Burke dismissed her with a wave of his hand. She reluctantly removed herself, giving Nicole a cool look as she retreated to the other side of the room.

"That was Tanya," Burke answered with a sigh while taking in the scent of Nicole's perfume. Briefly he closed his eyes and wished they were anywhere but in this crowded room.

Glancing up at the infamous Tanya, Nicole noted that the woman looked at least 20 years older than she but had somehow managed to cultivate an air of sophisticated authority. And, much to Nicole's dismay, Tanya was casting an officious, appraising look in Nicole's direction. It made Nicole wonder if it was the kind of look slavers gave their prey before swooping upon them and dragging them away to Paradise Falls.

Turning her attention back to Burke, Nicole continued her slow tease making Burke shift uneasily in his seat as he adjusted his tie. The warm crush of her body against his back and her breath hot on his neck made him acutely aware of her presence. This new Nicole, while nothing more than an act, unsettled him slightly. He'd been lying if he said he didn't like it, but it was such a change from her usual behaviour that he briefly stuttered before pursing his lips and gathering his wits about him before speaking.

"I was starting to wonder where you were," he said in measured tones.

Nicole had now moved to his neck and brazenly grazed her even, perfect teeth against it. What Burke couldn't see was that while Nicole was carrying out her ministrations, she was hungrily eyeing DeCarlo the whole time. The very thought of touching DeCarlo made her stomach churn with disgust, but she had a job to do and if that meant being blatantly suggestive, then that was what she would do.

"I took my time getting ready," she purred and nuzzled Burke's cheek. "I knew you'd want me looking my best."

"Obviously," Burke said as drily as he could manage, but it was difficult with those tantalizing lips of hers teasing him. A shaky hand scooped up the lead crystal glass from the green felted table top and shoved it at her. "Be a dear and get me a drink."

"Of course, _darling_," Nicole said with a hint of her usual sarcasm cutting through before plucking the glass from his hand and going to the drinks cabinet, making as much of a show of it as she could.

A slow smirk tugged at the corner of Burke's mouth as he watched Nicole's rounded hips seductively sway with each deliberate step she took. Mistakenly he thought it was her trying to be sexy, although it was really just so she could keep her balance. Glancing out of the corner of his eyes, it was easy to see that DeCarlo was transfixed by the sight of her as well. Burke's smirk grew. So far his plan seemed to be working.

Nicole's heart was pounding from nervousness and she silently berated herself for being so over the top with her act. Surely it would be transparent? Carefully she poured Burke's drink, took another deep breath before turning around to find DeCarlo watching her every move. A shiver ran down her spine at the look in his eye. It was not unlike the look of a vicious dog that was about to have a decent meal after days of starving.

"_I've got a job to do, I've got a job to do," _Nicole silently repeated her mantra of the moment. Offering a sweet smile, she asked, "Would you care for a drink Mr. DeCarlo?"

"Yes, please my dear. And what's this Mr. DeCarlo business, huh? Mr. DeCarlo. My ol' man was Mr. DeCarlo!" He gave her a wolfish grin and said, "Call me Alex."

Nicole giggled and batted her eyelashes, poured another drink and returned to the table with a wiggle in her walk. She unceremoniously plonked Burke's drink in front of him, but she carried Alex's over to him and proffered it with a bit of a flourish.

Burke glanced over the top of his glasses and watched as Alex took the glass from Nicole. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly as Alex stroked a finger down the back of her hand. A flicker of irritation started to burn in his chest. Yes, he had given Nicole orders to flirt and be seductive, but he hadn't imagined that she would throw herself so fully into her role.

"Thank you, Sarah," DeCarlo practically purred.

Nicole regarded him through half-lidded eyes and gave him a little smirk, "You're quite welcome, Alex."

"Are you going to deal or shall I walk away with all your caps now?" Burke suddenly interjected. Although he tried to sound joking, his voice was strained.

"What's wrong Burke? You on medication or something?" DeCarlo laughed.

"No, but I came here to play cards, did I not?" Burke snapped.

Returning to Burke's side of the table, Nicole lightly ran her fingertips up his arm and cooed, "The night's young Burke. There's no rush, is there?"

Burke lit a cigarette and took a deep drag of it before shaking his head, "Huh. No. There's no rush." Giving DeCarlo a sharky grin, he quipped, "I'm sure Alex would appreciate keeping his caps for a bit longer."

"Oh yes," DeCarlo agreed while shuffling the well worn deck of cards. As he dealt them out, he casually said, "Of course, your luck might change before the night's over, you know?"

Chuckling, Burke shook his head and cockily answered, "I doubt that."

As the men started a fresh hand, Nicole idly wandered around the room, taking it all in. The room was rather large, well lit and rather utilitarian in appearance. From some of the furniture that was still scattered around the hotel, Nicole had guessed that the Alexandria Arms had once been not just a hotel but a conference centre as well. The room they were in now must have been one of the smaller meeting rooms, but now it served as Alex's personal casino and bar.

Looking around, Nicole noticed several other women bustling about the place, most of them clad in barely there negligees of various descriptions. Some were red satin with lace trim; others wore a lurid leopard print. The one thing all of the women had in common was the way they kept looking at Nicole as if she were some deadly Wasteland creature that had found its way inside and was about to devour them all. It was understandable. The appearance of fresh meat most likely meant that someone would soon be out of a job and thrown out into the wastes with nothing more than the clothes on their backs.

"So how long have you known Burke," came a low voice from over Nicole's shoulder.

Looking behind her, Nicole wasn't exactly pleased to see that Tanya had managed to creep up behind her undetected. Taking a step away, Nicole replied, "A little over a year."

The older blonde woman looked Nicole over as if she were an item for sale by a caravan trader and nodded, "I've known him for about 15 years." Shaking her head, Tanya let out a light chuckle while lighting a cigarette, "Quite a man, Burke is."

Nicole's blue eyes flicked to Tanya's green and she sniffed, "I really don't care to hear the details."

"Oh my," Tanya's eyes glittered as she studied Nicole again. There was more than a hint of jealousy there. But it was obvious to Tanya that this kid was naive and stuck playing a game she really didn't understand. Having learned some very valuable lessons in her time working for DeCarlo, Tanya decided to pass on her wisdom to Nicole. Moving closer, she practically whispered, "Don't get attached to him, honey. He'll have his fun and throw you away as soon as he's bored with you. You do know that, right?"

Turning on Tanya with eyes blazing, Nicole hissed, "I'm not attached to him. How could I be? So he dragged me out of Paradise Falls before the slavers could lay a finger on me. While I am grateful for that, the man is an overbearing, self-centred, arrogant pig."

"Whatever you say, hon," Tanya replied with barely concealed amusement over Nicole's ardent denial. After taking a drag of her cigarette she said, "I've seen him do it before, okay? So don't get it in your head that you mean anything to him or that you're anything special. Burke's just got that way about him." After a pause she bitterly added, "Trust me, I know."

Nicole couldn't help but notice the wistful look on Tanya's face and wondered if Burke had whispered sweet promises to the older woman that he had not kept. It wouldn't have shocked Nicole in the least.

"Look," Tanya began while pouring herself a drink. "When he does decide to get rid of you, I'll have a word with Alex. You're young, pretty and clean. Well, at least you look clean. I don't see any needle marks on you at any rate. Doesn't mean you're not into Jet or booze though. Anyhow, I'd bet you could earn a pile of caps in no time."

Blinking, Nicole gaped for a moment, "Are you suggesting that I become a whore?"

"Honey, what do you think you _are_?" Tanya asked before knocking back the glass of whiskey. "Burke bought you and from the look of it, he spoils you. Thing is, he doesn't do that just for the sake of being nice. There's not a nice bone in that man's body." She gave Nicole a knowing smile and said, "You've got to be repaying the favour somehow."

"How dare you! You don't know me!" Nicole growled and haughtily tossed her head.

"Hey, we've all got to find a way to get by out here," Tanya replied with a shrug. "Trust me; there are worse things out there than lying on your back for a few minutes."

"I am nothing like you and never will be!" Nicole hissed.

From across the room, Burke was becoming aware of the heated discussion between Nicole and Tanya and knew that if it was allowed to continue it might jeopardize everything. In an attempt to separate the two women, Burke snapped his fingers and said, "Sarah, another drink if you will."

Alex laughed, "C'mon Burke, let them have at it. Nothing like a good cat fight, if you ask me."

"Of course, Burke," Nicole replied through clenched teeth and went to fix him another drink, but found that her hands were shaking so badly that it made pouring difficult.

"Sarah's not much of a fighter," Burke said ruefully, continuing the ruse.

"Heh, yeah, might not be a fair match then," Alex agreed and watched as Nicole dutifully returned to Burke's side, drink in hand. "You've got her trained well," he commented.

Burke grinned and skimmed a hand down Nicole's back and rested it on her backside, "Well, it took some time to work out some of her bad habits, but thankfully obedience is something they seem to instil in the Vault 101 residents."

"I bet Eulogy asked a pile of caps for her," Alex asked innocently enough, but something in his over bright eyes instantly put Burke on guard.

Gathering up the cards from the table and shuffling them, Burke shrugged nonchalantly and said, "Yes, but price was not an object."

"No, no, no... I didn't think it would be," Alex agreed. Again, that over eager look was in his eyes and he smoothly asked, "I thought all slaves from Paradise Falls were issued collars. Where's hers?"

Burke suddenly grabbed Nicole and pulled her into his lap. Nicole let out a surprised gasp and narrowed her eyes warningly at him.

Ignoring the look, Burke explained, "I find those damnable collars to be more trouble than they're worth. They are bulky, ugly and can fail catastrophically, as I'm sure you know."

DeCarlo frowned. He had bought a girl off Eulogy a few years ago and her collar had failed while she was with a customer. Needless to say, the john was unimpressed and after pressing his 10mm to Alex's forehead he was reimbursed for the mess and inconvenience. Eulogy, however, was not as willing to accept any responsibility for the situation and would not give Alex his money back. So, not only was he out the caps on lost business, the caps he had spent on the little bitch in the first place were just as gone as her head was.

Burke continued, "I threw a few extra caps at Eulogy and he was more than happy to take the collar off. Besides, she has the most delightfully sensitive spot right here." Smirking, he ran his fingers lightly along the side of Nicole's neck. "What a pity it would be to be denied access to it. Isn't that right, my dear?"

Goosebumps rose on Nicole's arms and a shiver ran through her. _"Damn him,"_ she thought, but answered with a sultry purr, "Mmm... that's right darling."

Greedily lapping up the scene before him, Alex started to imagine all the things he'd love to do to the girl in Burke's lap. Licking his lips, DeCarlo husked, "This sounds like a pitch, Burke."

Burke stopped toying with Nicole's garter and chuckled darkly. It was neither a denial nor a sign of agreement, but Alex read into it what he wanted and smirked at Nicole.

For one brief moment Nicole's hand tightened on Burke's arm to which he responded with a reassuring caress of her back. The moment was over quickly though and he was then sending her on her way with a little shove.

"Go get Alex a drink," Burke purred.

Nicole cocked a hip, tossed her head and gave Burke a wink, "Yes, darling."

Doing as she had been told just as any dutiful slave would do, Nicole went and poured another drink. As she sauntered back, drink in hand for DeCarlo, he leaned back in his seat, watching her with his small, piggy eyes.

"Your drink, Alex," she said and pressed the glass into his hand.

"Thank you," he rumbled.

Nicole offered a small pouty smirk before turning to return to Burke, but as she did Alex's arm slinked around her waist and pulled her close. Glancing up helplessly at Burke, she was certain she saw a brief pout before he succinctly nodded his head. Reluctantly she allowed Alex to move her into his lap.

"So... Vault 101," he began and tapped at the screen of her Pip-Boy.

Nicole fought the urge to cringe away. Alex was repulsive at a distance but being this close she could smell the stale sweat, body odour and cigarette smoke. His breath was hot and foul on her face. She'd smelled rotting corpses that weren't nearly as offensive. Again reminding herself of her role before she gave too much away, she happily squirmed against DeCarlo.

"That's right. Vault 101," Nicole confirmed with a nod.

A sweaty, meaty hand caressed her thigh and he chuckled, "Do they grow 'em all like you down there?"

Burke watched DeCarlo's hand as it inched up towards the lacy edging of her stocking and frowned.

Nicole giggled and wriggled again before playfully slapping his shoulder, "Oh you flatterer!" She suddenly batted her lashes at him and huskily said, "And you know that flattery can get you anywhere."

"Shall we have another hand?" Burke gruffly cut in and started to sharply deal the cards.

Nicole raised a questioning eyebrow at Burke, puzzled by his sudden outburst.

Alex merely waved dismissively, "In a minute."

Letting out a slow, irritated breath, Burke settled back in his seat, laced his fingers together and tried hard to ignore the thoughts and feelings that were threatening to make him lose his cool. It was far more difficult watching Nicole throw herself at Alex than he had anticipated.

"Now where were we?" DeCarlo wondered aloud before grinning. "Ah yes. 101. Why don't you tell me about life in the vault?"

"Well, there's not much to tell, really. It's all rather dull," Nicole breathily admitted.

"Dull? I have a hard time imagining that," Alex chuckled.

"Oh yes," Nicole nodded emphatically. "It was very regimented with the old Overseer. It wasn't until he stepped down that the Vault was opened."

"That's not entirely true though, is it?" Alex asked and moved his hand up to Nicole's hip. "What about that bitch that Three Dog's always singing the praises of, huh? That Lone Wanderer."

"Nicole," Burke offered up the name almost bitterly as he stared into his glass of whiskey.

Alex snapped and nodded, "That's the one! I bet you knew her really well, didn't you? She was from 101."

Nicole, desperate to end this line of questioning lest she say more than she should, tried to distract DeCarlo by wrapping her arms around his neck and pulled him closer so that he could get a good look at her cleavage.

"She was a couple of years older than me," Nicole replied. "Besides, she was a bit of a loner anyhow. She seemed to only have one friend down there."

Alex's eyes were fixed on Nicole's chest and he leaned slightly closer to take in the smell of her perfume before chuckling, "Yeah, well, if you ever see her again you can tell the bitch thanks for doing away with one of my best customers."

Hidden behind the lowered brim of his hat, Burke's eyebrow raised at what Alex said.

"Yeah?" Nicole simpered. "And who was that? Some rich fat cat who would buy three girls at a time? Hmm?"

Alex roared with laughter and held Nicole tighter. Her stomach churned at the thought of what was suddenly pressing insistently against her thigh through the thin fabric between herself and DeCarlo.

"Burke!" he laughed and broke into a wheezing fit. "I like the way this girl thinks!" he finally managed to cough out.

Offering Alex a tight, false smile Burke replied, "Oh, yes. She's rather... inventive."

"Is she now?" DeCarlo rumbled and slid his hand higher on Nicole's hip and slipping it beneath the cool satin of her dress where his fat index finger traced a slow circle over and over.

Nicole squealed, giggled and chased his hand away, "Alex! Stop that!"

Across the table, Burke's eye twitched and he gathered up the cards he'd just dealt as an idea formed in his mind. All he needed to do was bide his time.

"So who was it?" Nicole enquired again, now having to try and keep Alex's hands from wandering too much.

"Oh, the Enclave," Alex answered quickly before mounting a fresh attack on Nicole and quickly groping her breast.

"Hey!" Nicole protested, slapped DeCarlo and leapt to her feet. Although she was furious, Nicole made sure to sway her hips as she walked away and cast a smouldering look over her shoulder.

Burke smiled briefly at the slap before casually asking, "So what is the Enclave up to these days?"

Rubbing his cheek but lustfully admiring Nicole's swaying hips, Alex distractedly answered, "Huh?"

"The Enclave," Burke repeated as Nicole lowered herself into his lap. "They've been quiet since all of that Lone Wanderer nonsense."

Alex picked up his drink from the table, his eyes once more focussed on Burke and gleaming with avarice of a different variety.

"Well, well, well..." he chuckled before sipping his drink. "I think we've finally gotten to the point of your visit, haven't we Burke?"

"Why Alex," Burke purred and smiled disarmingly. "I had every intention of this being a social call, but I'm always more than happy to hear what you've managed to ferret out. It's good to keep an ear to the ground."

"That it is," DeCarlo agreed with a nod but then gave Burke a predatory grin. "Information has a price though."

"Naturally," Burke conceded and returned the grin.

"The thing is... how much are you willing to pay?"

Burke smirked as he reached around Nicole to start shuffling the cards again. Everything was falling into place nicely and he had Alex exactly where he wanted him.

"Shall we settle this with a game of Blackjack?" Burke offered.

"Always a gambling man, huh Burke?" Alex laughed.

Burke smiled broadly, "Indeed, but as you said earlier, I do have the luck of the devil himself." Burke fanned the cards out on the table in a straight line, lifted the one on the left to make them rise and fall like a wave. "So, will you or won't you?"

Not one for being outdone, especially by the likes of Burke, Alex eyed him up, "And what's the wager?"

Gathering the cards up again, Burke cut the deck and said, "If I win, you tell me everything you know about Enclave activity in the past six months."

"And if I win?" Alex asked, a smirk tugging at his lips.

"If you win?" Burke asked with a hint of disbelief. Setting the cards on the table, he settled his arms around Nicole's waist. Briefly nuzzling her cheek, he then turned her head towards him and kissed her. From the corner of his eye he could see Alex leaning forward, his eyes gleaming. Turning his attention back to Alex, Burke said with a devilish grin, "If you win, I'll let you have Sarah for the night."

"Burke!" Nicole exclaimed and tried to jump up, but Burke held her in place and gave her a dark look.

"She doesn't seem to like the idea Burke," Alex chuckled. "I like a girl who puts up a fight though."

"Indeed, she can be quite lively when she wants to be," Burke laughed and tightly gripped Nicole's waist. "So are we agreed?"

"How can I say no to a chance with such a lovely creature," Alex leered. "Tanya! Go get the room ready. Looks like we're going to have company tonight," he laughed.

Tanya shrugged, apparently unimpressed, but Nicole couldn't help but notice the little sneer on her face as she left the room.

Nicole shivered and struggled to stand, but again Burke forced her to stay and murmured in her ear, "Trust me."

Nudging his head to the side, she hissed back, "If you lose, I swear you will regret it for what little remains of your life!"

Burke grinned and chuckled, "Oh, is that a promise Sarah?"

With a little frustrated growl Nicole broke free of Burke's grasp and went to stand across the room to glare at him. Burke was oblivious to Nicole's anger as he was now dealing the cards out.

Alex chuckled as he dragged his cards towards him, "Nineteen? You've just dealt me a nineteen." He laughed, "I think your luck is changing Burke."

Looking down at the ace he'd dealt himself, Burke shrugged, "The hand isn't over yet."

"No, but it won't take long because I'm staying right where I am," DeCarlo drawled. He then cast a devilish look at Nicole and said, "The only thing I regret is not betting more! Like, say, I keep the girl. For good."

Burke's jaw clenched briefly before he cleared his throat, "I hate to disappoint you, but I have no intention of getting rid of her anytime soon. At it is, if you're happy with your hand, we'll continue."

Reaching over to his remaining card, Burke paused before simply turning it over. A slow smile spread over his face as he leaned back in his seat as the queen of hearts was revealed.

"Blackjack," Burke purred.

DeCarlo's laughter stopped immediately and he soberly stared at the cards.

"Son of a bitch," he growled and flicked his cards at Burke.

"The house wins," Burke said smugly.

"Huh," Alex chuffed and lit up a cigarette. "You'd think so, wouldn't you? Shame the house can't collect what's not there," Alex started laughing again.

"What do you mean?" Burke sharply asked.

Through his hoarse laughing, Alex said, "What I mean is I don't have a fucking clue what the Enclave are up to."

Burke gave Alex a disaffected smile, "Oh come now Alex. Don't be a sore loser."

This only made DeCarlo laugh harder.

"Sore loser?" he finally sputtered. "Burke, you're losing your memory in your old age. I said earlier that I haven't had any dealings with the Enclave anymore no thanks to that Lone Wanderer bitch."

Burke pursed his lips together and snapped, "Then why did you agree to the wager!"

"You're kidding right?" DeCarlo asked, truly surprised that Burke couldn't figure it out. He jerked a thumb in Nicole's direction and said, "You put a prize like that on the table and what man wouldn't have thrown in?"

Chuckling, Burke rose from his seat and nodded, "Yes, point taken. Ah well, if you don't know anything, then you don't know, do you?" Moving around to Nicole, he slipped an arm around her waist, "Now if you'll excuse us, it's rather late."

"What?" Alex asked in disbelief. "You're a lightweight now Burke. Wasn't that many years ago you'd be up all night."

Shrugging, Burke sighed, "Yes, well, as you pointed out, I am not as young as I once was, am I?"

"Well, they say you're only as young as the woman you're feeling," DeCarlo laughed.

"If that were only true," Burke said bemusedly before ushering Nicole to the door.

"Burke," DeCarlo called out.

Scowling for a moment, Burke turned, "Yes?"

"Why'd you want to know about the Enclave?"

"I'd heard rumours from some of the caravans that they'd seen small squads in the DC ruins recently," Burke lied.

Alex leaned back in his seat and studied Burke, trying to fathom out whether this was the truth or not, "And you thought I might know something?"

"Well, considering that you live in the ruins, yes, I thought you might."

"Hate to disappoint you, _old man_," Alex said antagonistically.

"Ah well, never mind. Goodnight Alex," Burke said and quickly disappeared from the room, Nicole pulled tightly to his side.

As soon as Burke left the room, DeCarlo's smile died. Something didn't sit right with him about Burke's story, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Burke had always been a slippery one, able to smooth talk his way into anywhere or out of any situation, but something about his behaviour tonight just didn't fit. Deciding to shrug it off, Alex heaved himself out of his chair and was about to go to his bedroom when something caught his eye and made him stop short.

In all the years Alex had known Burke, there was one thing he knew for certain. The man was greedy and the more caps Burke had, the better. So it was understandable that Alex was puzzled by the fact that Burke had left his winnings behind.

And that more than anything else put Alex at unease.

* * *

"What the hell, Burke!" Nicole hissed as soon as the door to their room was shut and locked.

Burke let out a slow breath. He'd been anticipating this. In fact, on the way back to the room he could almost feel the rage radiating off of Nicole. It had been like a massive storm had been brewing inside of her. A tempest in a teacup, he believed the old saying went. And now it was time for the storm to break. He supposed that he should be pleased that Nicole had managed to keep her composure for as long as she had, but it brought him little joy.

"It was a calculated risk," Burke finally replied while removing his hat and glasses. "Besides, I never lose, Nicole."

"A calculated risk? You never lose? It was a game of cards, a game of chance! You just struck lucky!" Nicole raged and kicked off her stiletto heels so she could restlessly pace the room without the threat of gracelessly toppling over.

Burke settled into the armchair, took out a cigarette and lit up, "Were you not listening? I just told you that I never lose."

"I just cannot believe you! No, actually, I can. Why should I be shocked that you'd quite happily offer me up to that... pig! Oh, but you _never_ lose!" Nicole gestured wildly before rushing over and taking the cigarette from Burke and stubbing it out. "And I thought I told you not to smoke around me?"

Burke glared at her. After the long, tiresome day, Nicole's dramatics were wearing on him. Leaping to his feet, he fished a few playing cards from the sleeve of his jacket and threw them in her face before saying slowly and deliberately, "I. Never. Lose."

Flinching away from the flying cards, Nicole just happened to notice that there was at least one face card from each suit now scattered around her feet. As she picked one up, realization dawned on her.

Quietly she said, "You cheated. How? When?"

"You make it sound so common. I prefer to call it winning creatively," Burke shrugged. He removed his flask from his inner jacket pocket, took a sip and snidely added, "I slipped them from the deck while you proved just how expert you are at using your feminine wiles."

Throwing the card back at him, Nicole snapped, "I was only doing what you told me to do!" Waving her hands in exasperation she snarled, "Why on earth did I actually say I trusted you? You _can't_ be trusted. Ever! But no, I was dumb enough to agree to your little plan! Oh and thanks for conveniently leaving out the fact that you were going to use me as a bargaining chip!" She then mocked, "Flirt, giggle and blush Nicole. That's all you have to do. Just soften him up." Snorting she bitterly added, "You're a real piece of work, you are Burke."

Grabbing her to stop her incessant pacing, Burke looked her in the eyes and said in a deadly calm voice, "You obviously have forgotten who you work for. You've gotten far too comfortable, Nicole."

"Let me go," she demanded and pulled away only to pace some more.

"Don't you think you're being more than a little hypocritical?" Burke irritably asked.

Nicole stopped and harshly laughed, "Oh, that's rich. The king of the hypocrites is pointing an accusing finger at me!"

What little patience Burke had was growing very thin and he snarled, "And I suppose you forgot what you did earlier then, hmm? Did you forget that you gambled with not our self-respect but our _lives_ earlier? Or has that little episode skipped your mind?"

Nicole glowered at him, "That was different."

"How so? You certainly didn't give me the option of being in that position or not, did you? And I think it's safe to say that if that Raider had decided to shoot either of us the outcome would have been ever so slightly more drastic than if I had lost the bet."

"It was different!" Nicole almost shouted.

Burke continued to pick at her and said, "At the very least, Nicole, you were never in any mortal danger with my little scheme."

She stared at him for a moment, her mouth agape before snapping, "Oh and that should make it all better, should it? Tell me Burke, if you had lost what would you have done? Given me a pat on the back and sent me on my way? Would it have not bothered you in the least to think about the unspeakable things that he'd do to me?"

Burke pursed his lips and shook his head. All night he'd had irksome thoughts and feelings when it came to how Alex had behaved towards Nicole. It wasn't something that he wanted to read too much into, however and he flippantly replied, "No, Nicole, it wouldn't have. Again, you fail to remember that we have a business arrangement and nothing more."

An odd expression of anger and hurt crossed Nicole's face and she shouted, "You arrogant arse!"

Growling, he rushed across the room, firmly grabbed her arms and gave her a shake, "No, Nicole! It is not arrogance in the least! It is a matter of trying to remain detached!"

Nicole looked confused, "Detached? Detached from what?"

Burke stared down at her unwilling and unable to explain himself further. Without warning, he pushed Nicole against the wall and gave her a fiery kiss. Nicole let out a surprised squeal and fought against him for a few moments before giving into him and returning the kiss with just as much passion. Revelling in the sheer ecstasy of wanton abandonment, they let their desires rule them. The moment passed quickly and soon Nicole had gathered her wits and her strength about her. Finally breaking away from Burke, she slapped him hard across the cheek.

Blazing eyes locked, the only sound in the room was their jagged panting. Both Burke and Nicole knew what they wanted, but each of them defiantly stood their ground, refusing to give in or give up.

Burke was the one who broke the stalemate with a small, tight laugh as he ran a hand over his cheek.

"Really Nicole, you should give me some warning the next time you decide to do that," he said as he went to gather his hat and glasses up and then went to the door.

"You deserved it," she said in a low, husky voice.

"Indeed, I'm sure you thought I did," he drawled and unlocked the door.

As soon as the door was open, the almost fevered dreamlike state Nicole was in broke and she irritably asked, "Where are you going?"

He looked back at her and offered her a sardonic smile, "My dear girl, I don't care to sleep on the floor or in the chair. I'm going someplace where I'll be welcome. I'll meet you in the lobby in the morning and we'll return to Tenpenny Tower."

And with that, he was gone, the door shutting behind him with a soft snick.

For a while, Nicole just stared at the door, her head spinning. Eventually shock gave way to anger. Desperate to vent some of her frustrations with the irritating Mister Burke, Nicole grabbed one of her high heeled shoes and threw it at the door with all her might.

"Damn you!" she roared.

* * *

After a restless night, Nicole eventually dragged herself downstairs to the lobby to wait for Burke and flopped onto one of the moth eaten sofas to wait. It was still very early in the morning and there was no one to be seen so Nicole made herself comfortable as she waited, setting her sniper rifle over her lap.

The dark circles under Nicole's eyes along with the weary, disinterested look on her face belied the fact that just under the surface she was furious with Burke over the previous night's events. Burke's arrogance and the attitude that he was free to do with her as he pleased had been a wakeup call to her. He was right. She'd become far too comfortable working for the man and had become complacent again. It was her fault, of course, for silently giving Burke permission to treat her that way. Sighing, Nicole wished that she'd never allowed him to sleep with her all those weeks ago.

Slouching on the sofa, she watched as a sliver of sunlight that somehow had managed to find a way through the filthy windows crept over the tile floor and towards the fountain. The sound of the burbling water was making her feel drowsy and so she allowed herself the luxury of a cat nap as she waited for Burke to finally turn up.

How long Nicole dozed, she couldn't guess, but the sounds of people shuffling around and going about their daily chores to prepare for the evening began to filter through. Every now and then she could hear footsteps approach, but they never stopped. It was easy to tell the difference between the quick, light steps of the women compared to the heavy footfalls of the men coming and going from the building. Finally opening her eyes, she checked the time and saw that it was mid morning.

"Where the hell are you, Burke," she murmured to herself and looked around the lobby only to discover that he was not there. Gritting her teeth, she determined that if he hadn't appeared in the next half hour, she would track him down and drag him kicking and screaming down the stairs and back to Tenpenny Tower.

However, such drastic action was not required because no sooner had the thought crossed her mind that Burke appeared at the top of the stairs. Rage flared up within her chest when she saw Tanya happily clinging to his arm, laughing, smiling and generally worshipping Burke. And although Nicole tried to convince herself that it was all an act, she knew it wasn't and that realization made her stomach drop sickeningly.

Gathering her things together and slinging her heavy pack onto her shoulder, Nicole approached the stairs, glared at Burke and snapped, "I've been waiting for you for hours now!"

"I'm afraid I overslept," he said and smirked at Tanya.

Returning the smirk, Tanya looked down at Nicole and said, "We were exhausted. I'm sure you know how that goes, don't you honey?"

Nicole's head spun. It was no surprise to know that he'd gone off with Tanya, but for them both to be so blatant about it really stung. Just as she was about to deliver a snide comment, she was distracted by a heavy hand landing on her shoulder which made her jump. From the smell, Nicole guessed it was Alex and her suspicions were confirmed once he spoke.

"I trust you slept well last night, Sarah?" DeCarlo quietly asked while his thumb began tracing a slow circle on the back of her neck.

Inwardly, Nicole cringed and she turned to face him with a smile, "Yes, thank you."

Giving her another lecherous grin, DeCarlo turned his attention back to Burke.

"You're already leaving? C'mon Burke, you only got here yesterday. At the very least, you need to give me another chance at this fine thing!" he chuckled and lightly ran his fingertips down Nicole's arm where her combat armour didn't cover.

The touch on top of everything else was almost more than Nicole could bear. For one manic moment, she considered putting a bullet through DeCarlo's brain, but common sense prevailed.

Gritting her teeth and squirming away from Alex, Nicole firmly said, "Burke, if we're going to make it back to the tower by tonight, we need to go now."

"Go wait by the door, I'll be there shortly," Burke waved her off.

With a harrumph, Nicole tossed her head and marched off to do as ordered. She wasn't happy about it, but at this point, Burke was still calling the shots. Once they were through those doors, they would be on Nicole's turf and things would change then.

DeCarlo let out a low whistle as he watched Nicole leave and muttered to Burke, "She's a firecracker."

"Indeed," Burke said. "She certainly keeps me on my toes."

"You lucky bastard," DeCarlo laughed. "Look, if you ever do get tired of her, just ship her on to me. I'll give you a good price. That's one filly I'd love to have in my stable. She'd make me a mint."

Something about the suggestion that Nicole be used for something as low and common as prostitution irritated Burke greatly and he gave DeCarlo a tight lipped smile, "I'll keep that in mind."

Clapping a hand on Burke's shoulder he said, "Look, I got a lot to do this morning. Don't be a stranger. Drag your ass out of that tower of yours more than every two years. And don't forget to bring plenty of caps."

"Perhaps I will," Burke replied and glanced at Nicole fidgeting near the door. "I best be on my way though. She's growing impatient and if I'm not careful she'll leave without me."

Laughing, DeCarlo said, "Remind me again, Burke. Did you buy her from Eulogy or was it the other way around?"

"Oh, believe me," Burke smirked. "She knows who holds her leash."

Chuckling darkly at Burke's remark, DeCarlo wandered off.

"You know he has a point. It's been far too long, Burke," Tanya said while straightening his tie and smoothing his lapels.

It was at this point that Nicole's fidgeting stopped and she watched Tanya and Burke intently, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"Did you miss me?" Burke jokingly asked.

"Don't be ridiculous," she shot back, but her furrowed brow betrayed how she really felt.

Burke tipped her chin up and gave her a small smirk, "You never were a good liar."

"Yeah, and you were too damn good of one," Tanya sadly laughed and leaned in closer.

"Burke!" Nicole called out and pointed to her Pip-Boy to indicate that time was getting away from them.

"I said to wait!" Burke snapped at Nicole, which made her cross her arms over her chest and pout like a scolded child.

Tanya shook her head, "She's jealous."

"Now who's being ridiculous?" Burke chuckled and dropped his chin slightly to avoid her steady gaze.

"Burke, I saw the way she was looking at you last night. I'm no fool. I've seen it plenty of times." Ducking down so she could catch a glimpse of his eyes through his sunglasses, she quietly added, "And I saw how you were looking at her."

"Tanya, she is nothing more to me than a pleasant distraction," Burke said. "You were imagining things. If I were so enthralled by her, why would I have offered her up to Alex, hmm?"

Again she sadly shook her head, knowing that Burke was trying to dodge the issue and that it was no good trying to get him to admit anything. Letting out a forced little laugh, she said, "Well, God help any woman you ever do fall for."

"I'm too old and jaded for such sentimental nonsense," Burke pointed out. "Now, I best go or I'll have to listen to her complaining all the way home. Perhaps if I'm lucky she'll decide to give me the silent treatment. I can live in hope, can't I?"

Tanya playfully swatted his arm, "Get out of here Burke. You're more trouble than you're worth."

"Now you know that not to be true," he purred, leaned down and barely kissed the corner of Tanya's mouth.

Tanya's breath hitched slightly from the kiss, but not because of any feelings of desire that it might have stirred within her. The kiss he gave her was so different to the ones he used to give her all those years ago. This one was cold and held none of Burke's usual ardour. Tanya felt certain that those kisses were reserved for someone else now. Sighing sadly, she finally gave him a little shove towards the door.

"Go," she urged him. and going to the doors with Nicole.

Giving her one final smirk, Burke tipped his hat to her before going to where Nicole was waiting for him. As he approached, he had to chuckle to himself. It was obvious by the dirty look she was giving him and her flushed cheeks that she was angry. For some reason, the thought that he'd annoyed her so greatly amused him.

"So tell me Nicole, did you sleep well last night?" Burke teased with a wicked smirk.

Forcefully shoving the double doors open and marching out into the hazy, hot day, Nicole growled at Burke, "I hate you."

"Of course you do, my dear girl," Burke chuckled.

But for once, he was more than a little worried that she meant it this time.

* * *

"So they're gone, huh?" DeCarlo asked as he approached Tanya.

"Yeah, they're gone," she drawled.

"Did he tell you anything last night?"

"No, not a thing. Stuck to the story he told us," Tanya confirmed.

"Huh. Maybe he was actually telling the truth for once," Alex mused. "I'm going to my office. I don't want to be disturbed."

As he headed across the lobby to his rooms, Alex still was pondering Burke. Alex was still not convinced that Burke had stopped by just for the sake of it. Just as he was unlocking his office door, a voice caught his attention.

"How the mighty have fallen!" said a man with a thick, Russian accent.

DeCarlo looked to his left to see Dukov sitting on a nearby sofa with Cherry and Fantasia either side of him. It wasn't often that Dukov strayed from his place down near the Anchorage Memorial, but every so often he would hire some Talon mercs to escort him, Cherry and Fantasia to the Alexandria Arms. It often amazed Alex that while Dukov had the services of his own personal whores, the Russian usually spent an obscene amount of caps during his stays.

Eyeing the Russian for a moment, Alex tried to decide whether Dukov was speaking to him or not.

"What did you say?" DeCarlo asked.

Dukov pointed to the doors, "That Lone Wonderer bitch. Natalie? Nina..."

"Nicole, Dukey baby," Cherry offered before taking a hit from a Jet inhaler.

Dukov snapped, "That's the one. Nicole. Poor sweet cheeks must have fallen on hard times to 'work' for Burke."

"The fuck?" Alex gave Dukov a confused look before grumbling, "Dukov, you got to stop taking Jet. You're having hallucinations now."

"No, no, no..." Dukov shook his head adamantly. "It was her. I'd know that sweet ass of hers a mile away."

Pinching the bridge of his nose, DeCarlo explained, "Dukov, her name's Sarah. Burke bought her from Eulogy a little over a year ago."

Dukov grinned slyly, "Ah, someone's taking you for a ride, clown shoes. The bitch came to mine two years ago looking for some key." He prodded both Cherry and Fantasia, "Isn't that right girls?" Both of them nodded and agreed while Dukov continued, "Tried to talk her into being one of my party girls, but she said she needed to find her dear old dad."

Everything seemed to fall into place at once and DeCarlo's eyes glittered dangerously.

"Now that is interesting, thanks Dukov. You know what? Tonight, everything's on the house for you," DeCarlo said.

Dukov looked stunned and stammered, "E-everything?"

"Everything. Drugs, booze, women, whatever you want, it's yours."

"Heh hey!" Dukov cheered. "Did you hear that girls? Tonight's going to be a long fucking night!"

Cherry and Fantasia's half hearted mutterings went unheard by DeCarlo because he had slipped into his office and shut the door behind him. So that was the Lone Wanderer. Why should Burke lie about who she was? If the Lone Wanderer had fallen so far from grace, it would seem fitting that Burke would want to humiliate her, especially after that fiasco with the Megaton bomb. If anything, though, Burke seemed protective of the little bitch.

Sitting heavily in the chair behind his desk, Alex reached over to the ham radio he kept there. It had been quite a while since he'd used it, about two years to be exact, and he blew the dust off of it. Flicking a dial, the radio crackled to life and DeCarlo tuned it to the appropriate signal before taking the microphone. Clearing his voice, he made his call.

"This is Alpha Delta Romeo Niner here."

After a brief silence, the line hissed and a woman answered, "This is Kilo Sierra. How did you get this frequency?"

DeCarlo laughed, "Let's just say I'm an old friend."

There was another silence before the woman finally said, "This frequency is reserved for emergencies. I suggest if you just need someone to chat with, you find someone else. The Enclave does not have time for foolishness."

"Look here sister, I've got some information that you might like to know. But hey, if you don't, suit yourself. I don't give a rat's ass either way," DeCarlo growled down the mic.

Sighing, the woman wearily said, "Fine, what is it you want to tell us and I can pass it on to the appropriate person."

"Remember the Lone Wanderer? Remember how she singlehandedly served your own asses to you?" DeCarlo paused for dramatic effect before adding, "Well I've just had a little visit from her. Looks like she and Burke, the man she's working for, want to know what you all are up to. Seems mighty suspicious to me, but like I said, if you're not interested, that's alright. No skin off my nose. I'll just shut down and forget I ever saw anything."

The woman on the other end of the transmission stared slack jawed at her radio for just a few moments before a sly grin broke over her features.

"Yes, Alpha Delta Romeo Niner," Captain Saleen replied much more cheerfully than before. "We would be _very_ interested in that sort of information. I'm all ears."

* * *

_**Author's Note:** I... really hate this chapter. It's been one of the worst ones to write, which is stupid considering how this is actually one of the first ones I ever worked out in my head when I started writing this story. I really hope that all of my wonderful readers aren't disappointed with it as much as I am. No matter how many times I wrote it and re-wrote it, nothing ever seemed right to me. This is as close to good as I can get it, I think. Also, I really hope you all don't give up on me once New Vegas is out here in a bit. This story will be finished! I'm determined to get it done! _


	16. Chapter 16

"Colonel Autumn, I have a situation report for you," Captain Saleen announced from the doorway.

Glancing up from the pile of paper on the desk before him, Colonel Autumn drawled, "Captain, as you can see I already have plenty to keep me busy. I suggest you are quick."

Ever since Gamma Squad's failure in the DC ruins, the Colonel's patience had been wearing thin. There had been no leads and every weekly report that Captain Saleen delivered to him was nothing more than a slightly reworded version of what she had said after returning empty handed from the Vault-Tec headquarters.

Undeterred by the Colonel's impatience, Katrina stepped confidently into the room and struggled to keep her excitement in check. As nonchalantly as she could manage it, she set a file on the desk before Colonel Autumn.

The name on the file's tattered tag made Autumn scowl up at Katrina, "I have more than a passing knowledge of what's in Burke's file. So, if it's not too much to ask, could you please stop with the amateur dramatics and give me your report, Captain."

The reprimand wiped the smug smile off Katrina's face. Clearing her throat she began recapping recent events.

"As you well know, Burke is our contact in the Capitol Wasteland. He was approached by one Dr Madison Li who was under strict orders of non-disclosure concerning Enclave involvement in the matter. He was tasked with locating and retrieving a G.E.C.K. which he accepted with the promise of a hefty payout upon delivery of the device."

Colonel Autumn wearily rubbed his eyes, "Captain, I am aware of this! If you will get to the point, please, before my patience with you has gone!"

"Please, sir, bear with me," Katrina attempted to placate her superior before continuing. "Months have passed and there has been no word from Burke. In an effort to bring this mission to a close, you brought my team in to investigate the Vault-Tec headquarters only to find that the mainframe had been sabotaged by person unknown."

"And you still have no idea who that person was, do you Captain?" Autumn growled.

At this point, Katrina's smile returned and she slid another file onto Colonel Autumn's desk.

Pulling the file near, he opened the ragged manila folder and scowled down at the picture that dispassionately gazed up at him. The girl in the mug shot was filthy, her stringy hair hung limply around her shoulders, but her eyes were probably her most haunting feature. They were the eyes of someone who had been through hell and back.

"Why, Captain Saleen, are you giving me a file on the damned Lone Wanderer?" he sneered. "That is incredibly old news and has no bearing on the here and now."

"Because, Colonel, about half an hour ago, I received a very interesting transmission from a man named Alex DeCarlo," Katrina said with barely hidden excitement.

Colonel Autumn's eyebrow raised, "DeCarlo? He used to be one of our informants in the DC area. Well, perhaps informant is too kind. Opportunistic bloodsucking bastard is more appropriate. We haven't heard anything from him for over two years now. What did he want? Apart from a ridiculous amount of caps for a few scraps of information, that is."

Katrina reached over the desk and spread the two files apart so they sat side by side, "What's the link between Burke and the Lone Wanderer?"

"Captain Saleen, you are wasting time again," Colonel Autumn said brusquely.

"I beg your pardon sir, but I'm not. Please, what is the link between them?"

Colonel Autumn huffed, "There's not one, as far as I am aware. They run in completely different circles."

Katrina's smile grew. Finally, she'd hit on something the Colonel didn't know.

"Two years ago, after the Lone Wanderer left Vault 101, her first stop was the settlement of Megaton. While there, she met Burke and he made her a rather generous offer," Katrina started.

"Go on," Colonel Autumn said and sat up a bit straighter in his chair, his interest piqued by this fresh information.

"He offered her a suite in Tenpenny Tower as well as a rather handsome pay off if she were to do one thing for him." Katrina paused dramatically. "She had to wipe Megaton off the map."

"What?" Autumn asked in disbelief. "How?"

"What's Megaton famous for?" Katrina asked.

"That damned bomb," Autumn answered.

"Exactly," Katrina nodded in a self-satisfied fashion. "Burke wanted the Capitol Wasteland's blue eyed girl to rig the bomb to explode. Needless to say, she defied him and according to the bits and pieces I've picked up from DeCarlo, she disarmed the bomb. Burke sent Talon hitmen after her for almost a year. He must have gotten bored by it and finally gave up."

Autumn shook his head and briefly perused Burke's file, "No. Burke never grows bored with his sport. He was probably tired of losing the caps on a fruitless venture. The man is greedy beyond measure. I still fail to see what this has to do with our current situation."

"This is where DeCarlo comes in," Katrina grinned again. "Burke showed up at DeCarlo's 'establishment' for a game of poker, however, he wasn't alone. DeCarlo said that he was accompanied by a woman in her late 20's, brown hair, blue eyes and a medium build. When questioned by DeCarlo about his travelling companion, Burke had explained that the girl's name was Sarah and that she had been a former Vault 101 resident. One day while out exploring, she was captured by slavers. Burke claimed to have purchased her from Paradise Falls a little over a year ago."

"Burke always had an eye for the ladies," Autumn snorted. "Apparently some things never change."

"Indeed," Katrina drawled. "Now, this is where things get interesting. At one point in the evening, Burke asked what DeCarlo knew about any recent Enclave activity."

"Did he now?" Autumn said and leaned forward in his chair to study the files before him. A finger lightly tapped against Nicole's picture. The description matched, although the Lone Wanderer was only in her early 20's. Wasteland living was taking a toll on her, apparently.

"Could it be coincidence? Isn't it possible that Burke is just curious to know what's going on?" Autumn asked.

"It can't be ruled out," Katrina conceded. "Having said that, Burke was eager enough to find out what DeCarlo knew and wagered that information against letting DeCarlo spend the night with the girl in a game of Blackjack. DeCarlo lost, but since he has had no contact with any Enclave outfits for some time, he was unable to give Burke the information he was after."

Autumn nodded, "I see. And was DeCarlo able to tell you anything else?"

"This, Colonel, brings me to why I need you to approve this requisition for an obscene amount of Jet, Psycho and 5,000 caps."

"What!"

Katrina smirked at the Colonel's reaction, "You see, shortly after Burke and his whore left, DeCarlo was informed by one of his patrons, a man named Dukov, that all was not as it appeared. Sarah was, in fact, Nicole Cooper, aka the Lone Wanderer."

"Why on earth would she work for the man who tried to have her killed? I find it rather hard to believe," Colonel Autumn said.

"She's the missing link, Colonel," Katrina said with conviction. "Burke obviously knew he couldn't handle the job on his own and contracted her to do his dirty work. I also feel certain that she was the one who destroyed the Vault-Tech mainframe."

"And you discovered this about half an hour ago?" he asked and looked at the files again.

"Yes, sir."

Colonel Autumn went quiet for some time and looked at the files on his desk. Burke had been rotten for as long as he had known him. The Lone Wanderer, however, had been hailed as a paragon of virtue. Had she really fallen so far so that she would take up with the likes of Burke? Considering the source of their recent information, Autumn felt doubtful over the situation. First hand intel on the pair would be necessary.

Finally he spoke. "Have your squad ready to move in half an hour. I'll immediately dispatch a Vertibird to retrieve Dr Li and her team from the Institute." He gave Katrina a predatory grin, "The Enclave are about to return to the Capitol Wasteland."

* * *

Sonora Cruz bid farewell to Evan King and headed out into the Wastes again. It wasn't often that she strayed from the Regulator HQ, but once a year she would go around to some of the settlements to recruit new Regulators. Theirs was a dangerous line of work and it wasn't unusual to lose a good handful every year. Most were rookies killed in the line of duty. Others got their fill and turned in their dusters. Then there were the ones that went AWOL. Sonora hated them the most. Not only were they cowards, but they never returned their dusters. And that irritated her more than their cowardice. Dusters were hard to come by.

As Arefu faded in the distance behind her, Sonora decided to swing by Big Town and have a word with Red. The former Lamplighters had proved to be a hardy lot. In fact, some of her best Regulators had originally come from there. She never could decide whether their steely determination was a product of being brought up in utter anarchy where it was ever man (or child in this case) for themselves or the fact that they all seemed a little unhinged. Whichever it was, it made them rather formidable out in the field.

Adjusting her well-worn and sweat stained hat against the mid-day glare, Sonora trudged along, whistling snatches of a song her mother had taught her when she was a child. It was a Mexican folk song and while she had forgotten most of the words, the tune stayed with her. It was one of the few memories Sonora had of her mother.

As she walked, lost in her own thoughts, a rustling sound in some scrub brush drew her attention back to the here and now. Slowly, she took her combat shotgun from her back and watched and waited. Whatever was there, she would make it regret trying to sneak up on her.

Her patience was rewarded when a Radscorpion scuttled out of the brush. Its black carapace was glinting in the sunlight and its stinger was held aloft, ready to strike.

"Sumbitch," Sonora grumbled and started to pump the scorpion full of buckshot. It proved to be more tenacious than she thought it would be, taking shot after shot. Radscorpions were notorious for their persistence and this one was no exception as it scuttled towards her, it's legs clicking and crunching over the gravelly dirt.

Running and gunning, Sonora managed to get to a pile of rocks, clamoured up them and pulled her foot out of harm's way just in time. Instead of hitting flesh, the scorpion's stinger glanced off the rock, but this only seemed to make it frustrated. For one fleeting moment, Sonora wondered if such creatures actually felt things such as anger and frustration, but decided that it was irrelevant either way. Whether they were running on pure instinct or actually had feelings, they were deadly all the same and needed putting down.

Two more shots were fired into the Radscorpion, emptying her combat shotgun. Ripping the cylinder from the gun, Sonora made an awful discovery as her fingers ran over her bandoleer to discover that she was down to her last shell. Cursing, Sonora shoved the cartridge into place, whispered a quick prayer and aimed for the mutated insect's head. Just as her finger started to tighten on the trigger, the scorpion's head was impaled by a railroad spike and the deadly stinger slowly sank to the ground.

She frowned and looked around until her eyes settled on the figure of a man walking towards her.

"Richard! Where the hell have you been?" she hollered.

The man, who was in his 40's, looked taken aback by Sonora's attack and defended himself by saying, "I was scouting ahead, like you said to do." Adding with a note of indignation in his voice, Richard snarked, "It's not my fault that you decided to play with that Radscorpion."

"Play with it!" she bellowed. "You need to go back to Rivet City and have the doc there check your eyes again!"

For emphasis, Richard pushed his wire rimmed glasses up his nose and sniffed, "My sight is fine."

"Whatever, let's just get moving," Sonora said while sliding off the rock pile. "I want to get to Big Town before the sun sets."

"Alright, just give me a minute," Richard said and went over to the Radscorpion.

Sonora's lip curled in disgust as she watched him cut the scorpion's stinger off and asked, "Why the hell do you do that?"

"Ah, see this is where the poison glands are," Richard explained as he carefully tucked the stinger away in a satchel. "It's very useful. If loaded into modified darts it can be used to paralyze prey or a bounty."

"I prefer my bounties to be dead," Sonora laughed.

Richard shrugged, "Yes, I suppose they are better that way, but you never know. There's the odd occasion where they may need to be brought in alive."

"You've got a point," Sonora grudgingly admitted. "C'mon big man," she said and clapped a hand on his back. "We're wasting daylight."

As both Regulators marched along chatting, something in the distance caught their attention and they paused to assess the situation. At first glance it looked like a pile of rags, but upon looking at it through the scope of his .44 it became obvious to Richard that it was a person.

"What do you think, Richard?" Sonora asked.

"Raiders setting an ambush, maybe?" Richard offered.

Sonora peered around. They were out in the open and there were no obvious hiding places. Shrugging she said, "Always a possibility, but let's face it, they usually aren't that smart. Raiders run headlong into fights."

And Sonora would know considering that she had more than a passing acquaintance with Raiders. As she reached her teens, she had joined a gang that had been local to where she grew up. For years she ran with them, causing no end of grief for any who might cross her path. If it hadn't been for a merciful Regulator who had merely wounded her instead of killing her, she would have run with the Raiders until she most likely met an untimely death at a young age.

"Well, yes, that's true," Richard agreed. Thoughtfully he scratched his goatee, "Your call, boss."

Sonora regarded the fallen figure on the ground. From where she stood, the clothing didn't look like anything Raiders would wear. Raiders favoured ragtag armour made from scraps they had scavenged. Besides that, they'd not been attacked yet.

"C'mon. Let's go see if they need help, although it's probably pointless. Whoever it is, they're most likely dead," Sonora said and trudged off, Richard close on her heels and taking out the first aid kit he always had on him.

Sonora eyed it and chuckled, "I swear you're the world's oldest Boy Scout."

"That would probably also make me the world's _only_ Boy Scout," he replied drily. "Besides, you know as well as I do that it pays to be prepared for any eventuality."

"Yeah, but you never have done things by halves have you? Most people would bring along a few Stimpacks and some water and food. Not you. No way. You bring everything but the damned kitchen sink," she laughed. "Speaking of which, you happen to have any shells on you? I've only got one left."

Richard sunk into a sullen silence as Sonora teased him. The other Regulators were a little too haphazard for his liking at times, Sonora included. Rolling his eyes at the request from the woman who was supposed to be setting an example for the rest of them, Richard produced a box of shells from his bag and handed them over.

"Thank you much, boy scout. I'll be sure to sew you a new patch on when we get back to HQ," she snickered while reloading her gun.

Nearing the body on the ground, Sonora lowered her shotgun at it so that she'd be ready just in case there were any nasty surprises. Nodding to Richard, he flipped the man onto his back.

When moved, the man flinched and moaned before passing out.

Sonora and Richard exchanged surprised looks before focussing at the passed out man.

"Sumbitch," Sonora quietly cursed and gazed off in the distance. They weren't that far from Big Town, but trying to carry an unconscious man as well as keep an eye out for any danger was problematic.

Finally, after a few minutes of internal debate, Sonora finally arrived at a decision and said, "We'll take him to Big Town. Hopefully Red can do something for him."

As she and Richard started to carry the man's dead weight towards Big Town, Sonora really hoped that they weren't making a mistake.

* * *

"Where are we going? This isn't the way we came," Burke said as he looked around at the unfamiliar territory they were in.

"I need to stop by the Citadel," Nicole said shortly.

A little sliver of ice prickled Burke's chest. He knew she was angry at him, but surely she wasn't considering doing something incredibly foolish, like turn him in. Not that it would do her much good. She had very little evidence of any of his dealings and what she did have was here say at best. All the same, he would rather avoid the prospect of being punished.

"Nicole," he clucked, trying to placate her. "Surely that isn't necessary. I know you're upset, but don't be rash."

She snapped her head around to give him a disdainful sneer, "Believe it or not, it's not always about you Burke."

"Then why bother going there? It takes us off our route," he pointed out.

"The Brotherhood has something that belongs to me and I want it back," Nicole replied. "And for your information, it's not that much out of the way. In fact, you can see it from here," she said and pointed down the road.

Burke peered ahead and felt more unsettled as the Citadel grew closer with every step they took. Although he had long left his Brotherhood roots behind him, the bitterness still lingered.

"I'll wait outside while you conduct your business," Burke sniffed.

"Don't be stupid. I don't know how long I'll be," she shot back, but a slow smirk spread over her face. With mischief glittering in her eyes, she teased, "Don't worry Burke. I'll save you from the big bad Brotherhood knights who want to nail your sorry ass to the wall. Because, you know, it does your reputation so much good to have to rely on a woman to protect you."

Burke's jaw jutted out defiantly, "I don't need you to protect me."

"Oh! How foolish of me! Whatever was I thinking? You're the king of the wastes, you are," she snidely commented. "I'd all but forgotten how well you coped when you were shot. Or the way you dealt with those Raiders."

"I think it's safe to say that our talents lie in different areas," he snapped, growing tired of Nicole's waspish behaviour.

Thankfully Burke's outburst made Nicole retreat back into a sullen silence as they approached the Citadel but the tension between them was palpable. Burke wanted to scold Nicole for being an insufferable, sulking brat. Nicole wanted to tell Burke that she thought he was a self-centred pig. But they bit their tongues and travelled on until they arrived at the outer gates of the Citadel.

"You're sure you're staying out here?" Nicole asked and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Yes, go on without me," Burke said and shooed her away with a wave of his hand.

"Suit yourself," she said and shrugged before turning on her heel to go inside. If he wanted to stay out here and be in a strop that was fine by her.

Burke watched her approach the inner double doors while lighting a cigarette. Had she been honest with him? Was she really here to retrieve something from the Brotherhood? So far he had trusted her implicitly, but now, after the events of the night before, Burke wondered if that was wise. As he continued to ponder everything, Burke's musings were rudely interrupted by a gruff voice bellowing in the distance.

"STUPID HUMANS!"

Spinning to see where the shout had come from, Burke spied a massive Overlord running at a full tilt towards the Citadel. He was brandishing a tri-beam laser and had opened fire. Following him were two Brutes armed with miniguns. There was a distinctive whine as the miniguns revved up and began belching bullets at the Citadel.

The cigarette Burke had just lit precariously dangled between his lips before falling to the ground. He desperately wanted to move, to run, to scream even, but he was frozen in place.

Suddenly, all around him Brotherhood knights seemed to be coming out of the woodwork. Rallying, they headed to the oncoming threat, their weapons at the ready.

"Out of the way, wastelander!" one knight gruffly barked at Burke before barrelling past and knocking him off balance. The force of the glancing blow from the knight's power armour made pain blossom in Burke's elbow and temporarily took his focus off his fear and the battle raging around him.

"Uncouth bastard," Burke grumbled under his breath, but his indignation over being bowled into faded quickly when a stray laser blast missed him by a fraction of an inch. Taking this as a sign that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, Burke jumped and hurried after Nicole, catching up with her just as she slipped through the heavy double doors that led into the Bailey.

Arching a questioning eyebrow at the panting and pale Burke, Nicole couldn't help but quirk a slight smirk before none-too-innocently asking, "Changed your mind?"

"I decided that it would be best to accompany you instead of leaving you to your own devices. The last thing I need is for you to do something foolish," Burke lied, although the slight tremor in his voice gave him away.

"Oh, I see," Nicole said smoothly. "It has _absolutely nothing_ to do with those rampaging Super Mutants then?"

Burke didn't answer her, but out of the corner of her eye, Nicole could see him scowl and it amused her greatly.

"I thought you of all people would be rushing to the fight," Burke said, trying to change the subject. "Blood and bullets seem to be your favourite things."

Nicole chortled at Burke's observation, "That only proves that you don't know me very well at all. Nah, the Brotherhood can take care of their own house, for once."

Burke was amused by Nicole's answer and fell in step beside her as they ambled across the Bailey. All around them new recruits were being put through their paces by over enthusiastic squad leaders. It mildly surprised Burke to see that time and distance hadn't changed some of the Brotherhood's training regimes. The sights and sounds brought back plenty of distasteful memories. He couldn't help but grimace when he saw a squad being berated for some foolish mistake and then were ordered to do push ups in their armour.

With her head held high and her shoulders back, Nicole cut quite the confident picture as she led Burke to the lab entrance. However, with every step she took she became increasingly aware of the feeling that they were being watched. Of course Nicole expected the curious glances. She had earned the title "Lone Wanderer" because of her stubborn refusal to travel with none other than Dogmeat. For her to arrive at the Citadel with someone else was highly unusual.

The hair on the back of Nicole's neck began to stand on end. Just beneath the buzz of interest there was something heavy and serious. As Nicole's eyes swept the area, the source of the feeling became apparent. Off to the left, almost hidden amongst the members of the Lyons' Pride, was Sarah Lyons. Peering between two of her burlier team members, her bright blue eyes followed Nicole and Burke's every move.

"Not to worry you, but we're being watched," Nicole said through a rather plastic smile that was aimed at Sarah.

Burke peered out from under the brim of his hat and glanced around. As if walking into the Citadel wasn't nerve wracking enough?

"Wonderful," he drily drawled and firmly fixed his eyes on the ground. The sooner this was over, the better.

* * *

Across the Capitol Wasteland, a Vertibird made an approach towards the long ago abandoned Fort Constantine and prepared to land. To avoid being seen by the Brotherhood or any of their informants, the Vertibird had been instructed to go far north of the DC area before banking and approaching the fort from out of the west.

Slowly and gracefully the Vertibird descended until it lightly touched down. The wash from its twin rotors stirred up a cloud of dust and grit that somewhat obscured the vision of those who now descended down its steps. A variety of crates and supplies were quickly unloaded and in a matter of minutes, the Vertibird was on its way again, disappearing in the ever present clouds that hid the sky.

"Oh great," Buddy complained as he looked around at the dilapidated buildings that surrounded them. "More five-star treatment courtesy of the Enclave."

"Shut up Buddy," Katrina hissed and threw a glance in Colonel Autumn's direction. Thankfully he hadn't heard them as he was now heading to a small tumbledown house that was a few yards away. "Get your things and keep your mouth shut for the time being."

By the time that Gamma Squad and Doctor Li's team had gathered up their belongings and headed in the same direction as Colonel Autumn, he had already disappeared into the house.

"What is this place?" Jeremy asked as he looked around while shouldering his heavy rucksack.

"Fort Constantine," Doctor Li replied. "It was a nuclear bunker."

Single file, they all followed Colonel Autumn into the house and then down the stairs to the basement. In the basement they found a heavy blast door that had been, for all intents and purposes, closed since the Great War. It would have been impossible to open if it hadn't been for Jeremy and his ability to crack the coded algorithms. After a few minutes there was a squeal of protest from the disused hinges as the door swung open and allowed them to go deeper underground.

As they went they passed offices, storage areas and barracks until the space opened up into what must have been a command centre. All around were banks of computers, phones and desks that had paperwork strewn across them. If it weren't for the thick layer of dust over every flat surface, it would be easy to think that the people who had once manned the desks and workstations had just stepped out for a moment or two. Although, on closer inspection, there were signs of the barely kept in check panic that must have filled this room over 200 years ago.

On one desk a coffee cup lay on its side, it's long ago evaporated contents having stained a stack of reports that were haphazardly spread over the desktop. Perhaps, though, the most telling was a skeleton in a far corner. Next to it was a 10mm pistol and on the wall was an ugly brown stain. Although the skeleton now lay in a heap on the floor, it was easy to see a small hole in what would have been the temple. On the opposite side of the skull, a large portion was missing. It didn't take a forensic specialist to figure out the fate of this individual.

As Gamma Squad and Doctor Li's team took in the sight of the room, Colonel Autumn stood in the middle of it, slowly nodding to himself. Fort Constantine had been a gamble on his part, to be honest. He'd heard rumours that intrepid explorers had once set foot down here in an attempt to retrieve some pre-war armour or weapons, but that's all it had been, a rumour. But now, here they stood in the remarkably well preserved war room where brave men and women had served their country right down to the last moment when the bombs dropped.

Now, Fort Constantine would serve his purposes. Instead of being a harbinger of death and destruction, this place would be where Colonel Autumn would launch a brave new world with the help of the G.E.C.K.

Taking a deep breath, he finally turned to face his subordinates. Giving them a wide smile he drawled, "It's good to be back in our nation's capitol."

* * *

Nicole had led Burke through the maze of corridors that eventually opened up into the lab. All around them were industrious Scribes going about their business of weapons research and maintenance. Knights and Paladins in their heavy power armour purposefully strode through the lab on their way to join their patrols or any other number of duties they may have been assigned for the day.

Burke eyed them disdainfully from beneath the brim of his hat. Their arrogance came off them in waves, but Burke could somewhat overlook that. What he couldn't ignore was that as they walked, every so often the people they passed would offer a small smile to Nicole and say that she honoured them with her presence.

"You do know that most of them are lying?" Burke muttered to her.

He could see her frown at the suggestion, but she finally nodded, "I know."

She had figuried out a long time ago that she'd been nothing more than a means to an end for the Brotherhood of Steel. They decided that Nicole would make the perfect sacrificial lamb on the altar of good intentions. Of course her stupid sense of nobleness had played into their hands. Instead of electing Sarah Lyons to walk into the irradiated chamber of Project Purity, Nicole had volunteered. At the time she was still labouring under the delusion that it was what her father would have wanted. It was, after all, the example that he had set for her.

But instead of dying a valiant death, she woke up two weeks later in the Citadel's infirmary, still tired and sick from her ordeal. Even after that, the Brotherhood wanted more and Nicole, now having developed a secret death wish, carried on and helped to wipe out what remained of the Enclave across the Capitol Wasteland.

Then it was over.

She'd outlived her usefulness. The Brotherhood patted her on the back and sent Nicole on her way while retaining control of Project Purity. They had haughtily explained to her that her involvement wasn't required since she didn't have the ability to properly maintain and manage the site on her own. She couldn't really argue with them as it was true, so she had backed away. What had annoyed Nicole, though, was that over time the Brotherhood had gradually given less and less credit to her father for what he had done and shifted the focus to themselves.

Sighing, Nicole nudged Burke, "Let's just get this over with."

"I couldn't agree with you more," he said quietly, trying not to draw any undue attention to himself by slouching and keeping his eyes on the floor.

Burke's oddly subdued behaviour drew Nicole's attention. Giving him a sidelong glance, she asked, "What's wrong with you? You've been acting weird ever since we got here."

"There's nothing wrong with me," Burke said in a clipped tone.

"No? You're acting like you've done something wrong. Oh, wait, that was a poor choice of words," Nicole snickered.

Burke glared at her for a moment before dropping his gaze to the floor again, "I'll admit that I'm... uncomfortable being here. My reputation means that I am not exactly a welcome guest in certain places."

Nicole nodded, feeling that she understood Burke's reluctance to follow her into what must amount to a lion's den for him.

Burke's demeanour, however, changed as soon as they walked into the lab proper and descended down the stairs past where Liberty Prime was kept. The robot towered over everything in the room and Burke couldn't help but feel somewhat impressed by it. He'd heard stories of how the lumbering metal giant had played a key role in the defeat of the Enclave at Project Purity. As he stared up at Liberty Prime, Burke made a mental note to ask Nicole about it later, although he highly doubted that she would say much. He'd learned that there were certain topics that were taboo and most of what she had experienced fell under that category.

"Ah, Nicole. It's a pleasure to see you again. You've not visited us this much in quite some time. If you're not careful, it will become a habit."

The voice, while trying to come across as friendly and welcoming, held more than a hint of disdain and it sent a chill down Burke's spine. Peering around to see who had been speaking to Nicole, Burke practically stopped in his tracks as he finally saw the man. Hidden by the lightly smoked lenses of his sunglasses, Burke blinked dumbly. Surely he was seeing things...

"Scribe Rothchild," Nicole greeted, with an equal amount of disdain and a plastic smile.

Burke uncharacteristically shoved his hands in his pockets and tried to fade into the background as much as possible. For him, an already bad situation had just gotten worse.

* * *

"It's a good thing you got him here when you did," said a woman's hushed voice through the fog of half-consciousness. "Any longer and he'd have made a good meal for the wild dogs."

"How long before he wakes up?"another woman asked.

"I don't know. Just depends. Let him rest and I'll keep him on the fluids for a while longer."

"It's already late, Sonora. We'll never make it back to HQ before sunset," a man said.

Sonora.

Somewhere in Leo's clouded mind, the name rang a very distant bell.

Sonora.

Where had he heard it before?

As Leo tried to make sense of the name, the others talked over him in quiet tones.

"Red, you don't mind putting us up for the night, do you?" Sonora asked.

"I think we can make room for you in the common house. I'd say you could stay here, but the only bed I've got is my little cot or the hospital gurneys and those aren't great at the best of times."

"That'll be fine. Just let us know when sleeping beauty wakes up," Sonora said and started to gather up her things.

Sonora!

Leo's eyes flew open when the lightning bolt of sudden clarity and realization hit him. Sonora Cruz! The head of the Regulators! There could only be one reason why she was there.

Richard, noticing the sudden movement from the man they'd rescued, moved over and said, "Hey boss, that won't be necessary. He's awake."

* * *

"And what, may I ask, brings you our way yet again?" Rothchild asked.

Nicole crossed her arms over her chest and said, "I was in the neighbourhood and thought I'd see if you'd been able to repair my Gauss rifle."

Rothchild's eyes flicked up from the terminal he was working at and narrowed for a moment before giving Nicole a tight-lipped smile.

"Now Nicole, I explained that the last time you were here," he said, talking to her as if she were a simpleton.

"Yes, I remember what you said," she ground out through clenched teeth. "Have you or any of the other scribes even looked at it yet?"

From his place near the stairs, Burke listened to the conversation going on and frowned. If is memories of Rothchild still held true, the man was lying to Nicole. Rothchild probably confiscated her weapon for the sake of it.

Ordinarily, Burke could care less about things like that, but the problem lay in the fact that it wasn't any ordinary weapon. It was Nicole's favourite weapon. It was her pride and joy and he knew that she had been meticulous in its care and maintenance. Burke was mildly annoyed at himself for being oblivious to its missing presence. Nicole's Gauss rifle was a part of her. He should have noticed.

Still listening to the increasingly heated discussion between Rothchild and Nicole, Burke was unaware of someone on crutches hobbling towards him.

"So you must be Nicole's mysterious employer," a woman said, making Burke jump slightly.

Turning to look at her, he merely nodded, "Yes, I am."

"Mister Burke, isn't it?" the blonde asked him, eyeing him up suspiciously.

He pursed his lips, reluctant to answer for fear of what the reaction might be. Finally, he cleared his throat and pushed his glasses up, "Yes, I'm Mister Burke. And you are...?"

"Sentinel Sarah Lyons, leader of the Lyons' Pride," she said with the sharp, precise tones of one who'd spent many years in military service.

Burke's eyes narrowed as he studied the face of the girl and turned her name over in his mind.

Lyons...

"Lyons, you say?" Burke asked, trying to keep his voice as low and smooth as always. "You don't happen to be related to Owyn Lyons do you?"

"Yes, I am. He's my father and the Elder of this chapter," Sarah replied, a hint of pride showing through as she talked about her father.

For one moment, Burke believed that he was in a nightmare. How was it possible that two people from his past had ended up here? What were the odds? A shaking hand reached into his jacket and retrieved his flask. If he ever needed a drink, it was now.

"Do you mind me asking how you know my father?" Sarah pressed.

"Know him? Oh, no. I don't know him. I know _of _him, but I've never met him personally," Burke lied and took a drink.

"I see," Sarah drawled, not quite believing Burke. Alarm bells were ringing in her head. When she had confirmed who her father was, Burke had paled considerably and she hadn't missed the slight tremor of his hand as it went for the flask. Giving Burke a tight lipped smile, she asked, "How is your project going then?"

"Project? What project?" Burke asked, his voice becoming more flustered. He glanced at Nicole, who was still fighting with Scribe Rothchild, and frowned. So she'd been unable to keep her mouth shut. He would have to deal with her later, but for now he needed to throw this tow-headed harpy off his scent. "I have no idea what you're talking about," Burke sniffed.

"No? Nicole told me that you were having her to explore the surrounding states. Is that not the case?" The bells in Sarah's mind were ringing louder.

"Surrounding states..." Burke said thoughtfully, realizing that Sentinel Lyons was ignorant of what he and Nicole had been searching for. Giving Sarah a forced smile he said, "Ah, yes, of course. How forgetful of me. Yes, Nicole has been doing some exploring on my behalf."

Deciding to push him further Sarah said, "I'll have a word with Nicole in a moment. I'd be very interested in that data. The Brotherhood could make great use of it, I'm sure."

"What? No!" Burke exclaimed but quickly tried to backpedal. He steepled his fingers and pressed them to his lips before clearing his throat. This situation was becoming more dangerous by the moment. Damn Nicole and her insistence they come here.

Again, he smiled and said, "It's incomplete at the moment and besides that, she downloads what she finds onto holotapes once she returns to Tenpenny Tower. She has nothing on her at this very moment. Perhaps once she's done we can discuss it further, although it's a rather ambitious project and I don't foresee completion for at least another year."

"Oh, I see," Sarah nodded. "Well, that's a shame. Anyway, I need to get to my squad and give them their orders. "

"Of course, don't let me keep you. And I'm sorry to have disappointed you," Burke said, relieved that Sarah was now limping away. It was perfect timing too as it appeared that Nicole's argument with Scribe Rothchild was finally finished. From the look on her face, it was obvious that she hadn't gotten her way and that she was very unhappy about it.

"Come on Burke. Let's get out of here," she growled and stalked towards the stairs.

"Burke?" Rothchild said slowly, his gaze turning to Nicole's companion. Something about him was so very familiar. Something about the way he carried himself and his build... "Nicole, one moment please."

Sighing wearily, Nicole paused on the steps before looking back and grunting, "What, Rothchild?"

Burke felt himself tensing up, sensing that Rothchild was staring at his back. Looking up at Nicole, he mentally pleaded with her to tell Rothchild where to go and what to do with himself. Unfortunately, Burke could feel his luck slowly trickling away with each second.

"What did you say your friend's name is?" Rothchild asked.

"I didn't," Nicole snapped.

"Burke, I believe you said?" Rothchild practically purred.

There was a nasty, superior look on Rothchild's face that unnerved her. "So what if I did?" she shrugged nonchalantly.

With that irritating look on his face, Scribe Rothchild approached Burke and held out a hand, "I'm afraid we haven't been properly introduced. I'm Head Scribe Reginald Rothchild."

Burke reluctantly half-turned to face Rothchild and gave the offered hand a disdainful glance before briefly taking it and mumbling, "It's a... pleasure."

And upon hearing the man's voice, the final piece of the puzzle dropped into place for Scribe Rothchild. Gripping Burke's hand forcefully, he sneered, "Nicole. May I ask what you are doing with one of the biggest traitors the Brotherhood of Steel has ever known?"

Burke pulled his hand away and scoffed, "Don't be utterly ridiculous!"

Nicole stared at Rothchild for a moment before bursting into laughter. "Burke? In the Brotherhood? Oh my... I think that's the funniest thing I've ever heard!"

"I can assure you Nicole that I am telling the truth," Rothchild said.

Burke could see doubt written all over Nicole's face. She didn't trust him at the best of times, but this would put paid to any further collaboration with her. And, while she could be infuriating, he needed her and her abilities. A quieter voice in the back of his mind whispered that he needed her for other reasons, but he quashed it as quickly by reminding himself that their partnership was merely a business one. Any frivolity had merely been a perk of the situation and that was all.

"He has me confused with someone else," Burke protested in his usual smooth purr. "Now, we have a long walk back to Tenpenny Tower. We should be on our way."

"I'm afraid that I can't allow that."

Nicole looked to the top of the stairs to see that it was Elder Lyons who had spoken. It was hard to shake the feeling that they were caught in slowly tightening nooses.

"Elder Lyons, this is all a misunderstanding," Nicole half-heartedly chuckled. "Scribe Rothchild seems to think that Burke is some great Brotherhood of Steel traitor!"

Elder Lyons sighed and pursed his lips as he looked from Nicole to Burke.

"It's been a very long time, John," he greeted almost sadly. "It was widely believed that you had died. I certainly never expected to see you again and I think it's safe to say that you never expected to see us either."

Burke was trapped. He was caught between his past and his present and for once in his life he was struggling to find the words he needed to get out of a tight spot.

"Burke?" Nicole said questioningly and tilted her head towards him.

Offering her a sardonic grin, he said, "And so you learn some of my dirty little secrets."

Nicole's head reeled. Burke had been in the Brotherhood? All this time she had believed that he had been a former Enclave agent. It only went to prove to her that assumptions were generally false.

"This is ridiculous, we're leaving," Nicole snapped and pushed past Elder Lyons only to come face to face with Sarah who was frowning disapprovingly at Nicole.

"Oh for fuck's sake!" Nicole exclaimed. Turning back to Elder Lyons, she ordered, "Let us go!"

"Nicole, I am afraid I can't," he began gently, as if he were talking to a child. "Burke never answered for his crimes."

"That must have been years ago!" she snarled.

Elder Lyons nodded, "Perhaps, but his actions caused grievous damage to the Brotherhood for some time."

She glared at Elder Lyons and weighed up her choices. On one hand she could turn Burke over to the Brotherhood and let them have their revenge but this didn't sit well with her. They wanted to punish him for something that must have happened so long ago that only a handful probably remembered it. On the other hand, the odds were against them if they tried to shoot their way out.

"I'm sorry Elder Lyons, but I'm not turning him over to you. Burke came here as my guest under my protection. Considering that you will undoubtedly put him up before some kangaroo court, I cannot allow that."

"I beg you to reconsider your decision, Nicole. Your assistance to us has been immense. You've become a beacon of what can be achieved even in a world as broken as ours," Elder Lyons implored.

Nicole snorted, disgusted that the Elder would stoop to trying to manipulate her.

"We're going now," she said resolutely.

Sarah continued to bar the way, looking at Nicole as if she were no better than a drugged up Raider.

"I'm warning you Nicole," Sarah said lowly. "If you step out of the Citadel with him, you'll be an enemy of the Brotherhood."

"The Brotherhood got what it wanted from me ages ago. I don't see what difference it will make one way or the other if I'm your enemy," Nicole replied. "Now let us pass!"

With a wave of Sarah's hand, the Lyons' Pride took defensive stances and held their guns at the ready.

The situation was getting dangerously out of hand and Elder Lyons shouted, "Enough! Lyons' Pride, stand down!"

Sarah's eyes flicked from Nicole to her father. It was obvious that she didn't like being overridden, but she called out, "Return to the den! Go!"

Reluctantly the Lyons' Pride did as ordered, all of them muttering things like "traitor" and "bitch" loud enough for Nicole to hear them.

Sarah lingered for a moment longer, giving Nicole an especially hate filled glare before marching off as best she could to join her squad.

As the Lyons' Pride retreated, Burke let out a shuddering breath that he'd not realized he'd been holding. There was a faint glimmer of hope welling up in him that they might make it out of this yet.

Elder Lyons let out a longsuffering sigh and shook his head. Quietly he said, "I think it goes without saying that I am saddened and disappointed by your decision, Nicole. You and Burke may leave, but know this; any and all rights and privileges you held as an honorary member of the Brotherhood are now revoked."

"I understand, Elder Lyons," she said quietly, suddenly feeling very weary. Letting out a sigh of her own she jerked her head towards the door, "C'mon Burke. Let's go home."

He didn't need to be told twice and fell in step beside her, but not before giving Rothchild and Elder Lyons an insufferably smug, triumphant smirk, rubbing salt in the wounds.

Elder Lyons watched them go, a heaviness settling in his chest. Nicole had represented what was great and good in the Capitol Wasteland. But the weight of it had been more than she could bear, he knew that soon after the battle at Project Purity. After she had woken from her two week coma he could see that her eyes were dead and distant. Where she had once been warm and caring, she now seemed to be callous to the hurting of those around her.

"Owyn, you cannot let them leave!" Scribe Rothchild hissed.

"We all must make our own path in life, Reginald. Sadly some decide to abandon the one they were set upon for something... less," he replied, his voice sounding tired and sad.

"But Burke..."

"That was so very long ago, Reginald," Elder Lyons said and rested a placating hand on Rothchild's shoulder. "Perhaps Nicole was right in that respect."

"He'll turn her into something as vile as he is," Scribe Rothchild pointed out.

Elder Lyons gave Rothchild a sad smile, "And perhaps you are wrong. Perhaps she can give him the absolution he needs."

"He deserves to hang," Rothchild sneered and stalked away.

He needed to take his mind off of what had just transpired and he knew the perfect way to do so. Going back to his private quarters, Rothchild went to the table draped with a white sheet. Carefully he lifted the sheet, folding it neatly before setting it aside. For one moment a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he surveyed what lay on the table.

There had been one good thing to come of all this.

A finger lightly traced over the wooden stock of the immaculate Gauss rifle.

Someone like Nicole never deserved such a fine weapon.

* * *

Leo stared, wide eyed with fear, at the two Regulators that were hovering over him and giving him inquisitive looks. He waited for the axe to fall, but it never did.

"Red here says you're lucky we found you when we did," Sonora said and gave him a smile.

"W-where am I?" Leo asked, his voice a papery whisper from lack of water.

"You're in Big Town," Richard answered. "Red over there, she's the town doctor and she patched you up."

Leo craned his neck to see, but quickly laid his head back down when a dizzy spell made the room spin. Closing his eyes and willing it to stop, Leo groaned, "Thanks."

After a pause, Sonora asked, "So, where were you headed?"

Swallowing thickly, Leo rasped, "Nowhere."

"A drifter, huh?" she said and gave Richard a knowing glance. If that were the truth, he was a very ill prepared drifter. They'd found no supplies on him at all, not even a bottle of water.

"Yeah," he nodded. "You could say that."

"Got a name, drifter?" Sonora asked.

Leo's heart hammered in his chest, but the fog in his head made it hard to think. Before he could stop himself he answered, "Leo. Leo Stahl."

"Well Leo, where'd you come from? How'd you end up out in the middle of nowhere?" Sonora pressed. Something about the man struck her as off and she intended on getting to the bottom of it.

Letting out a weak laugh and shaking his head, Leo said, "That's a long story."

Sonora gave Richard another glance and raised an eyebrow. So there was something there after all. Her Regulator senses hadn't failed her.

Pulling up a chair, Sonora gingerly sat down hoping that the ancient, dried out wood would hold her. Once satisfied she wasn't about to go ass over tit from a collapsing chair, she gave Leo what she hoped was a reassuring smile.

"That's ok Leo," Sonora said warmly. "We've got all the time in the world."

* * *

A short distance from Tenpenny Tower stood an ageing grocery store. Even back in its heyday it was nothing special. It was just a little family owned shop where the man behind the counter knew most of his customers on a first name basis. The shelves had been neatly stocked, the fruit and vegetables were, by and large, locally produced and milk and butter came from a nearby dairy.

Now, 200 years later, although the family had perished in the blast along with their customers and their suppliers, the store had somehow survived. The shelves were no longer lined with tins and boxes, the defunct coolers were no longer filled with Nuka-Colas, ice cream or cold cuts for sandwiches.

Now the place was owned and run by a scavenger who dealt in wasteland junk. In this day and age, the adage that one man's junk was another man's treasure was very much the case. It was a quiet life for the scavenger. Considering the out of the way location of his shop, customers were few and far between, not that he minded. It kept enough caps in his pocket to keep him fed and watered for another day.

And when the scavenger woke that morning, he thought just that. It was another ordinary day in his ordinary life. What the scavenger didn't know was today, that was all going to change.

When the woman with the scar running down her face entered his shop, he treated her just as he had treated his other customers. He watched as she roamed the aisles, making sure she didn't pocket anything but so far all she had done was randomly pick up an item or two, inspect them and put them down again.

This went on for a few minutes and the scavenger was certain that she wasn't going to buy anything. She hadn't even spoken or asked for a price on anything.

Then she said something that he couldn't quite believe.

She offered to buy his shop for 5,000 caps.

The scavenger, being the shrewd business man that he was, politely declined the offer. If she wanted it bad enough, she would offer more caps.

The woman looked dismayed and tried again, tripling her previous offer.

Sadly, the scavenger, apart from being a shrewd business man, was also greedy. If she could pay so much more, then surely there was no harm in trying to get her to up the amount one more time.

Now the woman looked irritated with the scavenger, but she made him one last offer.

Moving so fast that he hadn't time to react, the woman pulled a 10mm pistol from the folds of her dusty and faded coat, levelled it at his head and pulled the trigger twice.

At the sound of the gunshots, the woman's compatriots came running in, their weapons drawn, although they were holstered as soon as they saw the scavenger's body lying on the floor.

"For fuck's sake Kitty! Did you have to do that!" Buddy exclaimed and pointed towards the scavenger.

Calmly holstering her pistol again, Kitty shrugged, "I finally made him an offer he couldn't refuse."

* * *

The walk from the Citadel to Tenpenny Tower had been made in silence. Both Burke and Nicole were buried in their own thoughts and memories, neither of them ready to discuss any of what had happened.

Burke, for so long, had shrouded himself in mystery. His past was a closely guarded secret known only to him. Well, there was the exception of those who'd been involved in the whole debacle in the first place. But with dozens of years and a whole continent between DC and California, he never dreamed that his path would cross with any of them again.

Wearily they trudged on, their eyes fixed on Tenpenny Tower in the distance. If it hadn't been for the absolute nightmare of a day that they'd had, Nicole and Burke would be happy to see it. All they could feel right now, however, was a sense of numbness and tiredness that was creeping through their bodies and sinking into their bones. It made every step an effort.

"I didn't do it for you," Nicole said quietly, her eyes still fixed on the tower.

"No?" Burke asked without any of his usual sarcasm.

"No. I didn't," she said flatly.

"So why did you stand up for me?"

She went quiet as she considered the question and finally said, "The Brotherhood... it's too full of itself. They like to try and act like they're this big, gracious, charitable group. Truth is, it's just that. An act. Sure, Elder Lyons might really believe he's doing some good, but the rest of them?" She shook her head. "Under it all, the Brotherhood really doesn't give a damn. The belief that technology is far more valuable than a person is still there. You just have to scratch the surface to find it. At least the Outcasts are open about it. They're assholes too, but at least they're honest about it."

Burke merely nodded. It wasn't difficult to guess that in the aftermath of the battle for Project Purity and the days that followed, Nicole had learned some very harsh truths about the Brotherhood. Oddly enough, he understood what Nicole was saying far better than she probably thought he could.

Again they fell into silence. Nicole had so many things she wanted to ask Burke, but felt it wise not to. Not right now at least. Undoubtedly old wounds had been reopened and she knew that everything was too raw at the moment. But for all she knew, there probably would never be a good time to ask.

For now she would settle for hating him. Or at least trying to hate him. Now that some of Burke's enigma had been stripped away, some of his inaccessibility had gone with it. Up until now he had lingered in the realm of smoke and mirrors which had made it easy for Nicole to romanticise him. Somewhere in her mind, she had built him up into the image of a dark demigod who played an unseen game of chess with the Capitol Wasteland. From the lowly pawn to the mighty queen, he had decided their fates. Often there was little concern over which pieces he lost. All that mattered was that he was amused.

Now his facade was damaged and the cool, unflappable edifice was chipped away to expose that he was indeed just a man. This made hating him harder. Not impossible, but just slightly more difficult for the time being.

Finally, as the last of the dying day faded from the sky, Burke and Nicole arrived outside the gate of Tenpenny Tower, although neither of them seemed in any great rush to get inside. Instead Burke took out his flask, took a sip and offered it to Nicole.

"I'm sorry you lost your Gauss rifle," Burke said after a few moments.

She paused before taking the flask and drinking deeply of it. Heaving another weary sigh and shrugging, she mumbled, "Doesn't matter."

Burke knew she was lying. He'd seen the way she doted on that gun.

"Perhaps I will get you a new one," he said thoughtfully while lighting a cigarette.

Her eyes flicked towards him, uncertain of how to take his offer.

"Don't be ridiculous," she finally muttered. "They're practically non-existent. Mine, as far as I know, is the only one."

"It may take some time, but I'm sure I could source one eventually," he said. But as soon as the words were out of his mouth, Burke could feel an awkwardness creep into the air around them. Nicole usually wore her heart on her sleeve, making it easy to read her. Now her eyes clouded over like the skies of DC, masking what she might really be thinking or feeling.

"No. Don't," she said and handed his flask back. "What happened today doesn't change what happened last night. That was a step too far, Burke. If you'd be willing to throw me to the dogs like that..." she trailed off and looked into the distance, gathering her thoughts.

"It was a necessary evil," he retorted.

"Far too many things in this world can be justified that way, Burke. Hell, it's an excuse I've used myself." Shaking her head and giving him sad smile she said, "I've slipped enough. I don't need to go any further. So, thank you for the generous offer, but I'll pass. Besides, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Or a Gauss rifle, in this case. You'd hold it over me somehow."

He knew she was right. Being the utter bastard that he was, he would use it against her, but he didn't want to admit that. Instead he took a drag of his cigarette and muttered, "You're the one being ridiculous now."

"No Burke, I'm being practical," she said forcefully. "That's why in two days time I'm going to Vault 103 to get the G.E.C.K. After it's safely in your hands, I'm going back to Megaton. Once and for all."

And before he had a chance to argue with her about it, she had disappeared into Tenpenny Tower, leaving him alone outside with nothing more than the ghosts of his past to keep him company.

* * *

With the annoying scavenger out of the way, Gamma Squad spent the rest of the day setting up their temporary listening post. With the finest surveillance equipment that the Enclave had to offer they would be able to hear a mole rat snuffling around at over 500 feet away.

But they weren't listening for mole rats.

They were listening for rats of the human variety.

On the roof, hidden by the dark of night, Buddy and Katrina spied on Burke and Nicole through night vision binoculars. Every word they spoke was being picked up through their highly sensitive parabolic directional microphones.

"Did you hear that?" Buddy asked quietly, his toothy smile growing in the darkness.

"Yes," Captain Saleen said.

"Vault 103. Fucking Vault 103," Buddy laughed.

Katrina motioned for Buddy to be quiet as she listened to the end of Burke and Nicole's discussion and watched the Lone Wanderer disappear inside Tenpenny Tower before speaking to Buddy again.

"We'll continue our surveillance until they make their move. Once they do, we'll follow them there and we'll be waiting for them outside. They can do the dirty work and we'll take the credit," Katrina said. "I'll call in a report to Colonel Autumn shortly."

A horrible, wolfish smile slowly spread over her face.

"It will be... fun to finally meet Miss Cooper face to face," Katrina said.

* * *

**_Author's Notes: _**What's this? A new chapter? My apologies for such a long wait. There's no excuse really. I'd like to say thanks to cally777 for the imagery of Burke as a chess master. It's just too good to resist, really.


	17. Chapter 17

Sonora and her deputy had been held up in Big Town for two days now and had grown bored of waiting for Red to give them permission to speak to Leo. To occupy themselves they had gone on patrols and helped guard the main entrance. Now after another day spent waiting, they were making their way to Big Town's common house to bunk down.

The subject of Leo hadn't exactly been off topic, but Richard could tell that Sonora had been thinking things through. She had been distracted and withdrawn and Richard knew it was best to give her space when she was like that. He'd patiently waited for two days, but now Richard wanted to know what was going on in her head.

"So what're you thinking, boss?" Richard asked Sonora as they wandered through Big Town.

"I'm thinking confession's good for the soul," she mirthlessly joked about Leo. Sighing, she added, "The boy's messed up. No getting around that."

"Do you mean that from a moral point of view or is it your opinion of his head?" Richard asked.

Sonora snorted, "One of those? Both of them? I don't know. All I do know is that he's got some choices to make now."

"You think he meant what he said?" Richard asked and took a drink from his hip flask. "You know, about being sorry?"

Sonora motioned for Richard to hand her the flask and sipped at it while considering the question. She'd been in this line of work long enough that she felt like she was a pretty good judge of character and a person's true intent. There were times when she had been proven wrong, though. But Sonora knew that throwing chems in the mix made for a pretty unpredictable situation.

Leo seemed like a nice enough guy and pretty genuine, but he was a prime example of what substance abuse could do to a person. He'd admitted to having times when he couldn't fully remember the things he did. Whether that was the truth or if he thought pleading ignorance might save him from being punished, she couldn't rightly say.

"Honestly?" She took another pull from the flask before handing it back. "I think he wants to be sorry."

Richard raised an eyebrow at her, "So that's a no?"

"No... I mean yes... I mean... Grr..." Sonora scowled at her lack of eloquence and took a moment to choose her words. "I think he feels bad for what he did, but he's not used to that. He's used to blaming everyone else for things and burying his head in the sand by taking whatever shit he can lay his hands on. If he could get past that, then yeah, I think he'd be genuinely sorry."

Sonora gazed off into the distance, once more lost in thought, but the look on Sonora's face spoke volumes. Richard had seen it before. There were times when the Regulator leader could be more than a little impulsive and now was no exception.

"Sonora..." he said warningly. "I really hope you're not thinking what I think you're thinking."

"What?" she asked, trying to feign ignorance, but felt mildly annoyed at Richard's ability to read her. "What? You got a crystal ball in your bag with everything else now?"

"No," Richard laughed. "I've known you for, what, 10 years at least now? You just get to know a person after all that time."

"I guess you're right," she agreed with a shrug and scuffed at the ground with the heel of her boot.

From the way she was standing with her shoulders hunched and her arms crossed over her chest, Richard could tell that she wasn't pleased about the situation. Sighing he said, "You want to try and save him, huh?"

Sonora spat on the ground and said, "Can't save him if he doesn't want to be. You know that."

"Nope, I know." Richard took off his hat and scratched his worn nails over his close cropped, brown hair. "Look, if you want to give it a shot, go right ahead. I won't stop you. Hey, speak of the devil," Richard said and pointed.

A few feet in front of them, Leo stood near a barrel with a fire in it, warming himself.

"Huh," Sonora chuffed. "Guess there's no time like the present, is there?"

"Yeah, sounds like a plan to me, boss," he agreed. Lowly he added, "I'm turning in for the night. I just hope I don't end up near Bittercup. That girl ain't right in the head."

Sonora pushed Richard towards the common house and laughed, "Don't worry. You're a big boy Richard. I'm sure you can fight her off."

Once her deputy had ambled away, Sonora took a moment to gather her thoughts and steeled herself for dealing with Leo. Hopefully she'd be able to know just what to say to him.

Doctor Li rubbed at her eyes and cradled her head in her hands for a few moments. She'd been poring over Doctor Braun's notes for what seemed ages, going over the data and feeding it into a computer to try and make sense of it all. It was so complex, trying to figure out the G.E.C.K. without one in her possession.

Not that she was in any real rush to try and help the Enclave, but she was between a rock and a hard place. Refusal to help the Enclave at this stage would not only threaten her position with the Institute, it would also jeopardize her life.

"Ah, Doctor Li. I'm glad I found you," Colonel Autumn drawled from the doorway of the makeshift lab that Li and her team had thrown together as quickly as they could.

Madison could feel the muscles in her shoulders fill with tension. How she loathed Colonel Autumn.

"I would think that the lab would be your first stop, Colonel. Or had the thought not crossed your mind?" Madison said coldly without looking up from the terminal she was working at.

Chuckling, Colonel Autumn approached and peered at the screen over her shoulder. His father had been a widely acclaimed Enclave scientist and officer. Sadly the ability to decipher scientific riddles had not passed from father to son and the Colonel struggled to make sense of what he was seeing.

"It's been a while since we've had a chance to talk," he said, trying to speak to her as if they were old friends.

Doctor Li wasn't buying it and she sneered, "I can't say that I'm terribly heartbroken over that."

Colonel Autumn pursed his lips. He really wasn't surprised by her attitude towards him. Undeterred, he tried again.

"So have you made any progress?"

Sighing, Doctor Li finally stopped her furious typing and looked at Autumn, "I've told you that there is only so much I can do without a G.E.C.K. here in front of me. Doctor Braun's research is... expansive to say the least. The man was a genius amongst the geniuses of his day. Not to sing my own praises, but my abilities are far beyond those of your average Wastelander... or military commander," she said and gave the Colonel a pointed look. Reluctantly she admitted, "Even so, I am struggling to comprehend Doctor Braun's calculations."

"Then I have good news for you, Madison," Colonel Autumn said with a broad grin on his face.

Doctor Li's eyes narrowed at the casual way he addressed her. Only close friends were allowed _that_ particular privilege. She could probably count on one hand the number of people who called her by her first name and one of them had been dead for two years.

"It's Doctor Li to you, _Colonel_, and undoubtedly this news of yours is only good in your own eyes."

He chuckled and shook his head. Acquiescing to her demand to remain rigidly formal, he said, "Doctor Li, we're on the same side here. Don't you see that? We both want to make this world a better place."

For a moment, Madison gaped at Autumn before slowly asking, "How can you even begin to compare what we both want and put us on an even footing? Unlike you I am not willing to accept collateral damage just so you can create some new utopia!"

"Progress almost always demands sacrifice," he said, shrugging off her protest. "What is the loss of a handful of people compared to the number that will surely benefit from the rebuilding of the greatest nation that was ever conceived?"

Slowly she shook her head, not quite believing what she was hearing. He was sounding like an obsessed mad man.

"There's a reason the United States got blown to hell, Colonel. You seem to labour under the delusion that with a wave of your hand you can fix over 200 hundred years of social ills. It will take more than that."

"And the Enclave will rise to the challenge," he assured her.

"The Enclave, the last I took note, was struggling to meet the basic needs of its own soldiers! How do you expect to cope with the flood of people that will undoubtedly want to live in this new paradise?"

Colonel Autumn smiled mysteriously, "We'll worry about that when the time comes."

The look on his face sent a shiver down Madison's spine. No doubt there would be very strict rules on who would and would not be allowed to live in Autumn's new Eden. For those who didn't meet the standard it would most likely mean they would be marched off to join the rest of their fellows in an unmarked grave somewhere.

"Well, all we can do is hope that Burke doesn't succeed then," she sniffed.

At this Colonel Autumn laughed heartily. "That, Doctor Li, is what brings me here! I received a report from Gamma Squad the night before last. Burke wasn't successful."

Doctor Li's eyes narrowed at the Colonel. He was taking this news far better than she would expect. Immediately she felt wary.

Colonel Autumn continued, "Yes, Burke failed to locate a G.E.C.K... but his associate succeeded."

Madison could feel her stomach dropping, "His associate? I wasn't aware-"

"Apparently Burke didn't feel up to the job so he subcontracted," the Colonel interrupted her. "Yes... I think you might remember her. Nicole Cooper? Ring any bells?"

"Nicole..." Madison breathed. Her head spun. Why would James' daughter agree to work for someone as disagreeable as Burke?

"That's right. Nicole. The Lone Wanderer," Autumn drawled. He was enjoying watching Madison's reaction to the name. There was a mix of confusion and anger there that he found fascinating. "So, if all goes according to plan, you should have a G.E.C.K. to study within the next 24 hours."

Leaving the good doctor with that bombshell, Colonel Autumn turned to leave, but was stopped by Doctor Li.

"She doesn't know who she's really working for, does she?" she asked, her voice shaking from anger and fear. "She wouldn't help the Enclave willingly. Not after what you did."

Colonel Autumn turned and gave her a crooked grin, "No, she doesn't know. Not yet at least. I think Captain Saleen is planning a nice party for her once she emerges from Vault 103 with the G.E.C.K."

And before Doctor Li had a chance to protest or complain any further, Colonel Autumn swept from the room.

Two days had passed painfully slowly, Stephen observed as he took his shift in the listening post. It hadn't been helped by the fact that they'd not gotten as much as a glimpse of Nicole or Burke since they had returned from their trek across the Wasteland the other day. If radio chatter was anything to go by, it sounded like the Lone Wanderer had told the Brotherhood of Steel where to go and what to do with themselves.

It puzzled Stephen. She'd spent so long being a goody two shoes only to tell them to fuck off and die? He wondered how much of an influence this Burke guy was having on her. Having read the file, it wouldn't surprise Stephen in the least if Burke had manipulated her. Although, having read _her_ file, she didn't seem the type to be dissuaded from a course of action or a dearly held moral easily.

"How's it hanging, Steve," Buddy said as he entered the room and elbowed the heavy weapons specialist in the ribs while plonking himself into the chair next to Stephen.

Stephen grunted at the bony elbow in his side and said, "A little to the left. Thought you were supposed to be on the roof with Pepper?"

Buddy grinned broadly, "Yeah, well, this headache I've got was killing me and sitting out in the sun wasn't helping. I swapped with Germs."

Stephen's eyes narrowed at Buddy, "Headache my ass."

"No, really, I feel horrible," he flatly replied. "But honestly, if I had to see Germs' po-face anymore, I think I'd have shot myself."

"If you hadn't been such a dickhead in the first place he wouldn't be like that," Stephen observed while adjusting the sensitivity on his listening equipment.

"No, he wouldn't be like that if Pepper would stop being so fucking oversensitive and screw Germs already," Buddy countered. "C'mon, you saw how she was all touching him and stuff from day one."

"Buddy, remind me never to have you play matchmaker for me," Stephen commented and rolled his eyes.

"Aw, what, you don't want me to find you Mister Right?" Buddy teased.

Stephen's lips thinned in disapproval, "No. You can't tell the difference between Mister Right and Mister Right Now."

Buddy crowed his irritating laugh, "And you care because...?"

"Because, unlike you, I don't really care for the whole wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am scenario. Just because something breathes and has a pulse doesn't necessarily mean you have to screw it into the ground," Stephen sniffed. He was really starting to wish Buddy would go away now. He was puerile at the best of times, which Stephen had accepted a long time ago, but it was really grating on him today.

"What? You don't look at the mantel when you're poking the fire, Stevie boy." An odd look crossed Buddy's face and he added, "Well... I guess in your case you wouldn't anyway, but..."

"Shut the fuck up, Buddy," Stephen hissed. It was rare that he cursed, but Buddy was pushing him to his limit.

Laughing again, Buddy made his way back to his temporary bunk, "I think I'll go sleep off this headache."

Up on the roof of the old shop, Jeremy and Pepper kept an eye on Tenpenny Tower, watching the very few comings and goings of people through the front gate.

The atmosphere between the two had been tense ever since Pepper had walked in and overheard Buddy's crass talk. A part of her knew that Jeremy wasn't to blame. Most of the time Buddy was an uncouth moron who couldn't keep his mouth shut. On the other hand though, she had decided then and there that it would be best to keep some space between herself and Jeremy. She didn't need him to get the wrong idea. Sure, Jeremy was a very sweet guy and she considered him a friend, but she couldn't put herself in the same position that she'd been in before. In their line of work, business and pleasure should never mix. She'd learned that the hard way.

"What do you think it's like inside," Jeremy hesitantly whispered. He'd gotten the message that Pepper didn't want him near and so he'd been avoiding her as much as possible. That had been working nicely until Buddy had blatantly lied and said that Kitty was on watch up here, not Pepper. And upon reflection, he was starting to think that Buddy had faked his headache as well.

Pepper sighed reflectively, "Probably has marble floors and chandeliers all over the place. I've heard that they get clean water too. Not from a water caravan either. They've had hot and cold, radiation free water for years now."

"Really? How'd they manage that?" Jeremy asked while envisioning what the inside of the Tower might look like.

"Jeremy, surely you know that if you have enough caps, you can get whatever you want."

"Yeah, I reckon you're right," he sighed and went back to watching the balcony.

It was frustrating and boring work. They'd figured out on the first night that both Burke and Nicole's rooms faced the opposite direction from them, so sightings of either of them were rare. Once the sun would set, they would sneak under the cover of darkness to the other side to try and catch a glimpse of them and use directional microphones to listen in on their conversations. So far they had been unsuccessful.

As Jeremy scanned over the balcony again, a solitary figure rounded the corner and paused at the railings, looking out over the wasteland in their direction.

"Pepper, look up at the balcony," he hissed.

Swinging her binoculars upwards, she also spied the woman in the pink dress. "I think that's her."

"You sure?" Jeremy asked. The woman he saw was nothing special. If anything, she looked like any other Wastelander that they might run across.

"I'm pretty sure," Pepper said.

"Impossible. How the hell did she pull off half the things she's supposed to have done?" Jeremy scoffed.

"Who knows," Pepper said with a shrug. "Most of it's down to myth and speculation, but there's probably a grain of truth in there somewhere."

Jeremy continued to watch Nicole and thoughtfully said, "She looks out of place there."

"What do you mean?"

"Look at her. She just doesn't fit in with Tenpenny Tower."

Pepper had to concede the point to Jeremy. After having listened in on the vapid, vacuous conversations that went on in the courtyard as well as the salacious gossip aimed at The Lone Wanderer, it was true that she didn't fit in there. The residents were elitist snobs. Nicole Cooper just wasn't. If she had been, she would have agreed to do what the Enclave had asked of her with the modified FEV and wiped out all of the impure humans and mutants in the area.

They continued to watch her for a few more minutes before she disappeared around the corner again. Now without anything to watch, Jeremy and Pepper descended into silence again.

Finally Jeremy spoke. "I-I'm sorry. For... you know..."

Putting her binoculars away, she gave Jeremy a startled look. "You don't have anything to feel sorry for."

"Yes I do. I should have told Buddy to shut up."

Pepper couldn't help but laugh. "You do realize that's an impossibility? Katrina's been telling him to shut up for years now and he's not listened yet."

"Yeah, but still, I should have done something. The things he said..." Jeremy started to colour up.

"Buddy's an idiot. And it was him saying those things, not you. You don't have to apologize for him being an asshole."

"I just don't want you thinking that I'm like he is," Jeremy admitted quietly.

Pepper squirmed over to where Jeremy lay on his stomach and gently bumped into him. He was so genuine and kind that she couldn't help but be touched by it.

"I know you're not." With a smirk she teased, "If you were you would have groped my ass a long time ago."

Jeremy's cheeks burned brighter and he stammered, "I-I-I would n-n-never do anything like that!"

Quietly laughing, Pepper quickly pecked his cheek, "You're too cute."

For one moment, their eyes met. Pepper's were shining with amusement while there was an uncertain bashfulness in his. Ever so slowly, they leaned in, their lips about to touch. Jeremy could feel a nervous expectation welling up in him as they inched closer and closer together.

They were only a breath apart, their lips poised and ready.

"I want a report on what you've seen today," came Captain Saleen's gruff voice as she opened the hatch to the roof and hoisted herself up.

Jeremy and Pepper quickly moved away from each other, a look of guilt plastered on their faces.

"Ahem, a report... yes..." Pepper muttered and blushed. "There's nothing to report. We caught a glimpse of Nicole Cooper on the balcony a few moments ago, but she was alone."

Katrina passed a suspicious look between Jeremy and Pepper before snapping, "Where the hell is Buddy? He's supposed to have this shift."

"He had a headache, ma'am," Jeremy said. "I swapped shifts with him."

Katrina scowled at them and growled, "Headache my ass. As you were, you two. And by that I mean keep your eyes on that goddamned tower and not each other. Am I clear?"

"Oh yes, ma'am," Jeremy spluttered, his cheeks turning red again.

"Absolutely Captain," Pepper replied brightly.

With another grunt and pointed look at both of them, Captain Saleen descended the ladder again. As she did, she wondered when everyone around her had gone insane.

"Hello Leo," Sonora said and sidled up beside him and held her hands up to the fire. This time of the evening, the damp chill could settle right into your bones and the fire was helping to keep it at bay.

"Hi Sonora," Leo replied quietly.

Both of them stood there gazing into the fire, lost in their own thoughts. Sonora wanted to jump right in and talk to Leo, but she decided to let him broach the subject first. Sometimes putting pressure on someone was the best way to scare them off. Eventually Leo spoke.

"I just wanted to say thanks," he hesitantly said.

"Just doing our job," Sonora replied with a shrug and rubbed her hands together.

"No, I know... it's just... I didn't deserve it," he said. "After everything, you know?"

"You're probably right," she said bluntly. Sonora noticed Leo's wince. They were hard words, but he needed to hear them. Sonora felt certain that he'd probably been coddled for most of his life and that it hadn't done Leo any favours.

"So what are you going to do now?" Sonora asked.

"I don't know," Leo shrugged. "Can't go home to Megaton, can't go back to Rivet City. Guess I'll just drift."

She stared into the fire and nodded slowly, "S'pose you could do. You could go from place to place, amount to nothing. That's up to you."

Leo looked at Sonora and tried to read her expression, but couldn't.

"I've spent most of my life being a nothing," he sighed. "Probably ought to finish as I started, huh?"

"Like I said, that's down to you. There's nothing written in stone saying you have to stay a no good junkie waster."

"I've done too much, ruined so much..."

Sonora grabbed his shoulders and turned him to look at her. Right now he was mainly feeling sorry for himself, but she wasn't surprised. That was what he'd always done. The man was selfish and always looked at things from his own point of view. She couldn't hold it against him, really, but she wanted him to get past that.

"Look here, Leo. You can sit and say 'poor, poor, pitiful me' all you want. Thing is, that don't make up for any of the shit you did. Does it?" Sonora said.

Leo hung his head and muttered, "No, it doesn't."

"Right, well, from where I'm standing, I see that you've got a few choices. Now, for one, you could keep feeling sorry for yourself and wallow in it until the day you die from a Jet overdose. Or, if you're feeling brave, you could kick the chems and start doing something with yourself to try and make up for being a bastard."

Leo looked bewildered for a moment. Give up the chems? Try and make up for what he'd done? He'd been using Jet for as long as he could remember. He'd also tried several times over to give it up, but he'd never really been able to kick the habit. Now that he'd hit rock bottom, giving it up seemed to be the best option, if not the most daunting.

Shrugging Sonora off, he said, "How the hell am I supposed to do that?"

Sonora gave him a crooked grin, "Well, I'm always looking for new Regulators."

"Me? A Regulator?" Leo asked in disbelief before laughing long and hard. "You want me, the same man who has spent half of his life in a haze of chems, the man who nearly _raped_ someone, to become a Regulator?"

"Why not?" Sonora asked. "Leo, I've got all sorts on my team. Hell, I've got men who've done far worse than you ever could have hoped. But the thing is they wanted to change. They wanted to try and make up for what they'd done wrong. I guess what I'm saying is that they were looking for a little redemption and found it serving as Regulators."

Redemption. Is that the thing Leo had been searching for? A way out of the life he'd penned himself in?

"You're fucking serious," Leo said quietly.

"As a heart attack," she replied. "But it's up to you. You have to want it. I ain't about to force you to come with me. We'd both end up regretting that."

Leo went back to staring into the fire as he considered what Sonora was saying. Could he really do this? Could he quit the chems?

"It won't be easy, you know," Sonora pointed out. This she knew from firsthand experience. When she first came to the Regulators, she was addicted to pretty much every chem that was out there.

"I've been through withdrawal before," he said.

"But you always went back, huh?"

"Yeah. I did," he sighed.

Sonora nodded and clapped a hand on his shoulder, "Well, it'll be easier this time. You'll have all of us around you to help keep your nose clean. That is if you decided to join up."

Leo let out a shuddering breath and scrubbed a hand over his face as he debated what to do. A part of him wanted to just say yes, he wanted to become a Regulator. Another part of him feared giving up the chems and the comfortable numbness that he spent most of his days in.

"I... don't know Sonora," Leo said.

Sonora squeezed his shoulder, "I understand. Well, look, Richard and I are leaving in the morning. When you've made your mind up, you come and find us."

"Thanks Sonora," he said with a nod. "I'll think about it."

"You do that Leo," Sonora said with a sigh. She hadn't expected him to leap for joy over the offer, but still she felt disappointed. "Well, g'night Leo."

"Night Sonora," Leo said to Sonora's retreating back.

Sighing, he turned back to the fire to watch the flames dancing in the barrel. As he mulled over everything Sonora had said, he became sharply aware that he'd give anything for a hit of Jet right now.

Another day was coming to an end across the Capitol Wasteland. For some it had been as average as the ones that had preceded it with no real highs or lows through the course of their waking hours. Others hadn't been so lucky and the spectre of death that forever roamed the earth searching for new souls to claim had greeted them with open arms.

In settlements and camps dotted about the land, weak lights powered by generators twinkled in the darkness that slowly swallowed up the DC area as the sun sunk below the line of the horizon. People who were lucky enough to own their own homes retreated into them to bar out the horrors that lurked in the dark. Those who weren't so fortunate hunkered down as best they could and hoped that they would see morning light.

It was no different in Tenpenny Tower.

The residents filed from their businesses and usual haunts and drifted back to their rooms, some alone, some in pairs. Even the penthouse floor was starting to take on a mausoleum-like quietness as everyone bid farewell to the dying day.

There were exceptions though.

Out on his balcony, Burke stared unseeing over the wasteland. In one hand he held a glass of scotch and in the other was a cigarette. The glass had been largely untouched and the cigarette had smouldered until it was more ash than cigarette.

For the first time in a very long time, Burke was tired. Not just physically tired, but tired of everything. He was tired of the daily charade of being him and all that entailed. He'd grown weary of Tenpenny Tower and he was especially tired of the Capitol Wasteland.

Burke had come here to try and leave his past behind him and forget it, but it seemed that wasn't going to be possible. It might have taken decades for it catch up to him, but it finally had and left him feeling exposed. Once upon a time he had imagined himself as lord and master of all, but now...

He sighed and sipped his scotch. There was very little certainty about anything now. And as if to prove that point, Nicole timidly peeped around the corner of the balcony at him.

She'd been avoiding him the past two days, favouring her own company. Burke knew it was for the best, really, but he couldn't help but feel an emptiness when the night would draw in and he would be left on his balcony, alone.

Quietly she approached and hesitantly slipped into the chair next to Burke's.

For the longest time they said nothing but merely stared out into the darkness. There was so much that was begging to be said but both of them held on to all the thoughts and words and feelings that were so desperately vying for their attention.

"When will you be leaving?" Burke finally asked.

"Early. Around 7:00, I think. Vault 103 is out near Olney. It'll take me all day to get there," she said and curled up in the chair. Picking at a threadbare patch on the arm of the chair, she asked, "You're not coming with me?"

For a moment Burke tried to discern if she sounded hopeful or disappointed about the possibility, but quickly gave up. Instead he chuckled ruefully, "No. I've had my fill of adventure, thank you. Besides, you're better suited to such excursions."

Nicole smirked at him and teased, "Yes, I guess it is too much for a Scribe, isn't it?"

Glaring at her for a moment, he then threw back what was left of his drink and blatantly changed the subject, "How soon will you be returning to Megaton?"

Her smirk died and was replaced by a frown. Burke's question was one Nicole had been trying to avoid. She knew staying at Tenpenny Tower wasn't an option because she didn't really belong there, but the thought of going back to Megaton left her feeling cold and empty. What did she really have there? A shack and an on again, off again boyfriend. It wasn't exactly enticing to think about being back in the draughty, creaking building with only Wadsworth to keep her company.

Sighing, she said, "Well, after I bring the G.E.C.K. to you, I'll be leaving within the week. Why put off the inevitable?"

Burke's eyes narrowed slightly. It didn't have to be inevitable. He knew that, and, from the lack of conviction in Nicole's voice, he guessed she felt the same as well. However, it was her decision and Burke wasn't about to try and force her to stay. He could, but that would only end badly for both of them.

"I'll have some of the guards help return your things to Megaton," he replied.

"You don't have to. I didn't bring much with me in the first place." She paused before quietly adding, "Everything else can stay here."

It felt like a slap in the face. Everything he'd given her was being thrown back at him. He guessed it was her attempt at widening the gap between them, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt his pride any less. Fixing his eyes on the horizon, he gave her a succinct nod.

Again they were quiet. Their nightly habit of spending evenings together on the balcony meant the air was usually filled with good humoured ribbing, laughter and more than a few heated debates. Now all of that was replaced with a stony silence that neither of them was comfortable with but they also were stubbornly reluctant to break it.

Leaning her head back against her chair, Nicole finally softly asked, "You're not going to tell me, are you?"

"You know enough about me already," Burke said, hoping to head her off.

She shrugged and prodded, "I always had you pegged for Enclave, actually."

Burke snorted, "And would that be so much worse? Nicole, out west when you compare the Brotherhood to the Enclave it becomes a matter of choosing the lesser evil. I have no love lost for either group and I am not inclined to elaborate further."

Nicole rested her elbow on the arm of her chair and cupped her chin in her hand so that she could study Burke's profile. It was hard to miss the look of careworn weariness etched there. It deepened the lines of his face and pulled the corners of his mouth down into a terrible frown.

With her eyes still on him, she said, "I've spent enough time around the Brotherhood to know that out west, you're born into it. There's not really any such thing as a recruit from the outside."

The nearly imperceptible twitch of a muscle in Burke's jaw told her she'd hit a nerve.

Burke could feel the weight of Nicole's intense gaze on him, but he refused to acknowledge what she'd said. Instead, he poured himself another drink.

Nicole sighed again and shook her head, "I wish you'd let me in."

"You should be thankful that I don't," Burke bitterly muttered into his glass. "Besides, didn't you say the other night that you'd slipped far enough as it was? Why should you allow the likes of me to sully your good name?"

The sarcasm dripping from Burke's words made Nicole wince. It wasn't that long ago that she would have happily put a bullet in his head for everything he'd done, but now her conviction in regards to Burke was wavering badly. She wasn't so foolish to believe that Burke was innocent or good in any way, shape or form, but she also wasn't so quick to judge him. Beneath his cool, unflappable exterior was something that she was undeniably drawn to.

"Two years ago, I'd have agreed with you," she admitted.

Burke's eyebrow arched, "And now?"

Nicole half heartedly shrugged, "Burke, if I cared so much about my reputation, I wouldn't have told the Brotherhood to go to hell. I would have gladly handed you over to them."

"Ah Nicole, I didn't know you cared," Burke said with some of his usual smarminess.

She snorted, "I don't."

"Of course not," he purred.

"You're an arrogant arse and always will be," she said and gave him a bemused smile, but it died quickly. Quietly and reluctantly she admitted, "I'll... miss this."

Burke studied her for a moment and noted the flush on her cheeks. Taking a drag of his cigarette, he said, "No one is forcing you to leave."

"No, but... it's for the best," she said.

"And who, might I ask, is it best for?"

Nicole opened her mouth to spit out a sarcastic reply, but then shut it. It was a valid question, after all and it deserved an answer.

"It would be best for me, for Leo, for the Wasteland." Casting a wary look at Burke, she quietly added, "For you."

Burke's lips pressed together into a thin, disapproving line. He almost couldn't believe what he was hearing, but considering that it was coming from Nicole, it really wasn't a surprise. Burke found it rather annoying that Nicole was fond of accusing him of feeding her lie upon lie but was unable to see that she lied to herself just as much, if not more, all so she could justify her actions and decisions.

Throwing the rest of his drink back, Burke spoke in a low, deadly voice. "Perhaps it _would_ be best if you went back to that festering cesspool with its irradiated water supply and ever present threat of tetanus from the rust that is barely holding the buildings together. Perhaps you should go back and fall into your old habits of drinking yourself into oblivion and crawling into bed with a chem addict every night. Oh yes Nicole. I can see _exactly_ how it would be best for you," Burke said drily.

"And the alternative is for me to stay here out of reach from people who might need my help just for your amusement?" Nicole shot back.

Burke snorted and shook his head, "Why can you never do anything for yourself? You always seem to have this need to put everyone else before whatever you might need or what might make you happy."

"Oh, so you think I should be as selfish as you are!" Nicole laughed harshly.

"No, Nicole," Burke said, shaking his head emphatically. "I'm merely suggesting a healthy dose of self preservation! Do you think I haven't noticed the crazed look in your eye when you're fighting or the way that you go hell for leather against your enemies? You throw yourself at them, sometimes quite literally. Do you really want to die so badly?"

"You don't know what you're talking about," Nicole sullenly muttered.

"Oh, of course Nicole, I couldn't possibly know what it's like feel that way," Burke sneered.

"I don't have to listen to this," Nicole said breathlessly before moving to leave.

But Burke had other ideas. She was going to listen to him whether she liked what he had to say or not. Quickly rising from his chair, he went over and hemmed her in by leaning down and putting his hands on the arm rests. Nicole tried lean back as far as she could, but there was nowhere to go. For a few moments, they did nothing more but glare at one another, their breaths coming in short, ragged huffs.

"I understand you far better than you probably understand yourself, Nicole, because no matter how much you may deny it, we are alike."

Nicole stared at Burke before letting out a mocking laugh and attempted to push him away. "Oh, that is rich. We are _nothing_ alike!"

Shoving her back in the chair, he growled, "We are, Nicole. While you may be lauded as the best and brightest hope for everyone in this irreparably broken land, I know you. I know that you hate what you've been made out to be and would love to shed your past like a snake shedding its skin. I know that you are broken and bitter and desperate for something to make it go away."

"That means nothing," Nicole said, her voice quavering slightly.

Burke let out a bitter laugh and nodded slowly, "I suppose you're right. Anyone who's spent any amount of time with you would know these things. However Nicole, you should consider one other thing." He leaned in so he could whisper in her ear, "While you may tell yourself that you are doing good by putting down the likes of Raiders and other ne'er-do-wells, you _enjoy_ it. It's what I told you all that time ago. Holding the power of life and death over another is incredibly seductive."

He pulled back so he could look her in the eyes again. Nicole's mouth opened and closed as she tried to form an argument, but there was nothing forthcoming. It was true that he'd said these things to her before, but for some reason this time it had hit home. There was someone who could see through the shroud of heroism that the Wasteland had wrapped her in. The fact that it was Burke, however, frightened her and made her feel exposed.

Defiantly she set her jaw and glared at Burke before pushing him away. This time he went willingly, but there was a triumphant smirk on his face.

Primly rising from her seat, she smoothed the wrinkles from her clothes and raked her fingers through her hair before addressing Burke. Giving him a haughty look, she sniffed, "Do you really think that I'd _ever_ be anything like you? You are vile and wicked and selfish. You may kill anyone you please just for the thrill of it without any reason or justification, but I _do not_."

Burke's smirk grew. He liked seeing Nicole riled up like this. Bowing to her mockingly, Burke announced, "Hail! The Wanderer returns in all her hypocritical glory!"

Letting out a frustrated growl, Nicole shoved past Burke, "I'm going to bed! The sooner tomorrow is over with, the better because it means I'm a day nearer to never seeing you again!"

The sound of Burke's rich, cruel laughter followed Nicole as she retreated to her suite, but as soon as she was out of sight, it slowly died out. Shaking his head ruefully, Burke poured himself a drink and raised his glass towards the corner she'd disappeared around.

"Here's to you Nicole. Here's to you and your infernal self righteousness," he sneered and downed the drink.

* * *

**_Author's Note: _**What's this? A chapter that's not the same length of "War and Peace"? I can't believe it myself. Consider this a bridger before we well and truly start the downward slide to the end.


End file.
